Somebody Like You
by Torina Archelda
Summary: High school fics are overdone (and overrated) but I promise that this one will be funny and fluffy! Please read! InuKag SanMir, and Inu and Mir have a band! In NYC! (Story is not as lame as summary) Ch. 5 up, and a typo in ch. 1 fixed
1. Moving

Summary: Wow! My first AU fic! I know that the high school fics are overdone (and overrated) but I promise that this one will be funny and fluffy! Please read! Inu/Kag San/Mir, and Inu and Mir have a band! In NYC! (Story is not as lame as summary)

BTW, I have nothing AT ALL against Shippo. I just had to write that part… It was too funny! Hope you like!

Somebody Like You

Chapter One: Moving

"WHAT?" Kagome screamed, dropping the plate she was washing and hardly noticing as it shattered into millions of pieces.

Mrs. Higurashi winced. "Kagome, we don't have a choice. This place is just to expensive to keep up any longer. Ever since your father died… It's been hard, Kagome. You know that."

"But NEW YORK? It's a whole other country, okkasan!"

"I know, dear. But your grandfather is going to let us live there for free-"

"But okkasan, it's AMERICA!"

"What's wrong with that?" inquired Mrs. Higurashi, by this time extremely peeved. "I grew up in New York, and there's nothing wrong with me!"

"YES, there IS!" exclaimed Kagome. "You want us to go there!"

"That's it, young lady!" shouted Mrs. Higurashi. "We're moving, and that's final! Now you march straight up to your room and do your homework!"

"What's the point?" she screamed, running to her room. "I won't be here to turn it in on Monday!" She slammed her door shut and made sure it was securely locked before she allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. She sobbed into the pillow, releasing all her sorrows. She would have to move to a whole new continent, leaving all her friends and her little brother Souta behind. Souta… When he had been born the family hadn't had enough money to keep him, so they had given him up for adoption. He lived with their next door neighbors, and would obviously not be coming with them. No matter how much her nii-san wanted to accompany them, the family he lived with would most certainly not let him come. It had taken them four years to get them to tell Souta he was adopted; they would definitely be opposed to the idea of 'their' little boy living hundreds of miles away. _Souta… _she thought, _I'll miss you…_ But she knew there was nothing she could do. She had always been the kind of person who had gone with the flow and taken what came her way. She sighed, dried her tears, and stood up. _Time to get packing… _

Kagome sighed in exasperation. _I'm completely lost…_ It figured that the school her mother chose to send her to would have thirty-seven buildings, and that all her classes would be in separate ones. It had been difficult enough to navigate the city just to get to the school. She was a country girl at heart, even the airport had been difficult for her to get through! How could they expect her to find her way through this labyrinth? She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see the girl in front of her until it was too late. They crashed into each other, and books went flying everywhere.

"Oh my gosh!" the girl exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, I was too preoccupied with being late!" She bent to pick up her books.

"No, it's my fault." Kagome was also scrambling to gather her things. "I was too busy trying to find my way through this maze some people call a school."

The other girl looked up at her in mild curiosity. "Are you new here?"

"Yea," she replied. "My name is Kagome. I'm supposed to be in world history right now. You know where it is?"

"I'm Sango. Do you have Miss Kaede?" she asked.

Kagome consulted her schedule. "Yup. You heading my way?"

"Yea, I have first period history, too. Let's go or we'll be late!" Sango sprinted down the hallway another ten feet back the way Kagome had came from and threw open the door. "Hey, Miss Kaede," she said. "Sorry I'm late, I was just showing a new student around. Kagome, come on in here."

Kagome peeked her head shyly into the room. It didn't look much different from her classrooms back in Japan. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad…

"Ah! Higurashi Kagome-chan, is it?" asked Miss Kaede.

"Um, you can just call me Kagome." She wasn't a shy person by nature, but she wasn't used to being in front of so many new people at once. Luckily, Sango took charge.

"Miss Kaede, can Kagome sit by me? I can help her catch up."

"Yes, she may, but I doubt you will need to help her catch up. We are studying Feudal Japan, remember?"

Sango flushed slightly. "Oh, yea…"

Kagome smiled and sat down next to Sango, who passed her a note. 'What do you have second period?'

'Gym.'

'Ick. I can't stand Gym. I've got Math. Third?'

'Choir.'

'I've got that fifth. Fourth?'

'English.'

'Home Ec. It's SO much fun. Are you taking it?;

'Sixth.'

'Oh.'

Their conversation promptly turned to the latest fashions and music groups, as well as (in Sango's case) boys. The two became fast friends, and Sango mentioned something about some friends of hers having a band. Kagome didn't think she was doing anything that Friday, and said she would try to make it to the school dance to hear them play.

"Miss Higurashi! Did you hear my question?"

"Nani? Oh, sorry Miss Kaede. I wasn't paying attention…" she finished meekly.

"As it is your first day I will excuse this behavior. But you need to listen in class, despite the fact that you are an expert on the topic we are covering. Next time I will assign you a-" The bell rang, cutting her off. "Everyone read pages 300 to 305!" she cried over the din of the escaping class. "There will be a pop quiz tomorrow over the material!"

"It's hardly a pop quiz then, is it?" Kagome whispered.

Sango smiled. "Hey, I'll save you a seat at lunch. Look for me, 'kay?

"Sounds good. Se ya then!" Sango sped off, and Kagome pulled out her schedule and sighed. _Now, to find the Gym room… _

It had only taken her five minutes to find the lunch room; the herds of people moving in that direction had been a fairly obvious indication of its location. But where was Sango? There had to be millions of people here… She bumped into a little boy accidentally in her search for her friend. "Oh! Sorry! Who are you?"  
"My name is Shippo! I was really smart, so I skipped a lot of grades! I'm only eight years old!"

_Okaaaaaay… An eight year old in high school? I am officially freaked out now… _She edged slowly away from the child. He was looking at her strangely, and it creeped her out.

"Hey, Kagome!" called Sango. "Come sit with us!"

"Okay!" she said happily, glad to see a friendly face in the sea of strangers (and weird smart kids) before her. She sat down next to Sango and smiled at the others at the table uncertainly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" cried Sango. "I forgot to introduce you! This is Ayame, Kouga, Miroku, and Inuyasha. They have their little quirks, but they grow on you."

"Hey!" the others cried indignantly, pelting her with various food items from their plates.

"Okay, okay!" Sango said, laughing. "I give!"

Her friends immediately stopped throwing their lunches at her, and, to Kagome's amazement, resumed eating as if nothing had happened.

"I'm so glad you're here!" exclaimed Ayame. "Now the guys can't gang up against us cuz its three on three now! And maybe we can start a band that rivals theirs!"

"Yea, right," said Kouga. "You'll never be better than us!"

"Just you wait and see!" Ayame retorted.

The whole group started laughing and teasing the two about 'more-than-friendly' rivalries.

Kagome was amazed. Back home at her school in Japan, it took years to make friends with someone. Good friends, anyway- someone you could really trust. And here these people were, accepting a brand new foreign student into their little clique, no questions asked.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything," began Kagome, "but isn't this a little… Unusual?"

The others looked at her strangely. "How so?" asked Kouga.

"Well, you hardly know me, and yet you're being so… nice," she supplemented.

Inuyasha shrugged. "It isn't often that we hang out with people outside our group. If Sango likes you, then you're cool in our books, right guys?" The others nodded in agreement.

Kagome smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

The boy blushed and turned away. "Keh."

_Hm, _Kagome thought, _what a strange response. Is that even a word?_

"I'll be right back, guys," said Sango. "I think I left my purse in Home Ec."

"'Kay," they replied.

"See ya in a bit," said Kagome, slightly nervous. As nice as these people were, she knew Sango the best… But somehow the presence of the silver haired boy who had spoken to her earlier calmed her. She felt as if nothing could harm her while he was around… She was shook from her daydreaming by the squeaking of the chair next to her. Was Sango back already? She looked up and saw, not Sango, but a tall man with long, black hair and a malicious look in his eyes.

"What do you think you're looking at?" he asked snidely.

"A jerk who's taking my friend's seat and doesn't have any manners."

"I can sit wherever I want, you little idiot. And I don't really care about this 'friend' of yours.

"Look, you baka," she said, standing up and putting her hands on her hips indignantly, "I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just push people around like that. Last time I checked, the world didn't revolve around you."

"It's my seat," he growled. "I claimed it."

"Oh, yeah?" Kagome replied. She crouched down and pretended to inspect the chair. She stood up after a moment's examination, shaking her head. "Sorry, pal," she replied, "but I don't see your name on it." The others were covering their mouths with their hands in a desperate attempt to hide their laughter.

The hanyou's blood boiled. How dare this mere human mock him so? She would pay… But there were too many witnesses. He would get his revenge later. "You got lucky today, human," he hissed, "But I shall have vengeance."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Ooooh," she said, "I'm soo afraid. I'm shaking in my boots. Someone help me, I might faint in fright!"

She fell backwards, somehow knowing that someone would catch her. She felt someone's arms wrap around her and help her to her feet. She turned around and saw Inuyasha, who was smirking.

"You heard her, Naraku," he sneered. "Go away- and don't you dare come back."

Naraku retreated, still snarling. Kagome smiled up at the boy next to her. "Thanks," she said.

He grinned back. "Any time."

Kagome slid out of his grasp and moved to sit down, but slipped on a banana peel that had fallen to the floor in the earlier food fight. She closed her eyes, anticipating a sharp and painful contact with the ground, and was surprised when she felt nothing. She cautiously opened her eyes, and amber met brown. "Inuyasha…" she breathed. It took her a moment, but she regained her composure. "Thanks again."

He smiled. "No prob." She tried to return to her seat, but for some reason she couldn't break eye contact with him. His golden orbs hypnotized her, and it seemed as if the two were lost in their own little world…

"Oh my God!" came a voice from behind them. "I'm gone five minutes and I miss something like this!"

Sango's unexpected presence brought to their attention exactly the position they were in. Kagome was at a ninety-degree angle from the ground (as a result of her fall), and Inuyasha was bent over her, their faces mere inches apart. The two quickly pulled apart, blushing madly, but not before Inuyasha made absolutely certain that she was able to support herself.

"Keh," he said, crossing his arms in defiance and sitting down.

The next ten minutes of the lunch period were spent with the rest of the group, minus Kagome and Inuyasha, explaining to Sango what had happened. Mild teasing about their 'relationship' was continuously shot in their direction, and Inuyasha finally got sick of it.

He stood up, violently tossing his coke can at a near by recycling bin. "I'm getting some fresh air," he said shortly, stalking out the door.

"Oh…" Kagome bit her lip. Going after him now would probably only make things worse, but he had seemed so upset… And the others were just talking about how he was overreacting. They weren't going to go after him. So it was up to her… She silently stood and took off after him, ignoring her new friends' questions as to where she was headed. Inuyasha was distressed… And it somehow felt right to help him.

_I'm never gonna live this down…_ Inuyasha thought as he walked around the school's large courtyard, snowflakes falling silently on the ground around him. A small voice in his head stopped him in his tracks. _They've teased me about girls before, and it's never bothered me. Why does it now? Could it be that I have feelings for her?_ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. _It can't be. I've only known her for fifteen minutes… But she was impressive when she confronted Naraku. And there is such thing as love at first sight… Wait a sec, LOVE? When did I cross that line? Cool it, Inu. Think about what you're… well, thinking. You hardly know her. You can't love her…_

A voice from behind him shook him from his reverie.

"Inuyasha?"

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and spun around to see who a part of him had already known was there. _Kagome… _Just being near her made his heart speed up. She made him feel so… right… _Kami, how do you do it? No one has ever made me feel this way. You make me feel so insecure, and yet so safe and calm at the same time… Could you be the one for me?_

"Hey, Kagome," he replied.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. "You seemed kind of upset… I just wanted to make sure you were okay. They were just teasing. I'm sure they didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable…"

_You're doing a good job of that on your own…_ he through wryly. "I'm fine," he said. "I've just had a hard day." He flashed her a smile. "You did a nice job of handling Naraku. Other than me, Kouga, and Sesshomaru, you're the only one who has ever stood up to him. And none of us did it so… inventively. We just tell him to bug off, no one had ever insulted him and gotten away with it."

Kagome paled. "You… You don't think he'd try to hurt me, do you? I'm not very good at defending myself…"

"Don't worry," he reassured her forcefully. "I won't let him harm you. But I might not always be there, so you need to learn to take care of yourself. I could teach you if you want me to," he said offhandedly.

Her face brightened. "Really?" she asked excitedly.

He chuckled inwardly at her exuberance. "Really," he reiterated.

She clapped her hands together happily and hugged him on impulse. His face turned red, and she blushed as soon as she realized what she had done.

"Sorry…" she whispered, pushing away from him gently.

"Keh," he responded, hiding his blush with his bangs.

She giggled, and he shot her a questioning glance.

"What?" he asked.

She smiled. "Is 'keh' the only word in your vocabulary?" she inquired.

"Feh," he replied, turning away from her. At this she dissolved in uncontrollable laughter, falling to the ground and rolling around in the snow. She was too busy laughing to pay much attention to him… And that gave him an idea. He scooped some snow into his hands and tossed it at her, careful not to use his full hanyou strength.

The snowball hit her, and she just stared at the sky for a minute, blinking. Then she stood, a smile on her face and a murderous glint in her eyes. "You're gonna pay for that," she said, molding a nearby pile of snow into a ball the size of a basketball. He ran away from her, but she caught up to him and threw it straight at the back of his head. The impact hardly fazed the hanyou, but he made a dramatic show of falling forwards from the impact. He lay motionless on the ground, smirking inwardly. She was gonna get it…

"Inuyasha?" she asked tentatively, a worried tone in her voice. "Inuyasha, are you all right?" She approached him slowly, afraid for him. She knelt beside him and brushed his hair out of his face. Just as she was about to either run for help or break down crying, his eyes snapped open and he grabbed her wrists, pulling her closer to him.

Her eyes widened. _Great, _she thought. _I'm in trouble now…_

He released one of her hands, making sure to keep a firm grip on the other. He packed a loose snowball and dropped in over her head, smirking. He smiled at her bewildered expression. She was covered in snow from head to toe, the intricate flakes sparkling on her face in the sunlight._ And just when I thought she couldn't get any more beautiful… _"That's what you get for throwing snow in my hair," he said, standing and helping her to her feet.

"Oh, and I thought only girls cared how their hair looked."

He shrugged and smiled at her playfully. "So I'm in touch with my feminine side."

She started laughing again. _How does he do it? He makes me so happy… When I'm around him I forget all about the move, and leaving Souta behind… _She suddenly stopped walking and turned away from him to hide the tears that were suddenly threatening to leak from her eyes. _Souta…_

"Kagome?" a gentle voice asked. "Are you okay?"

She forced the tears away. "It… It's nothing."

"Okay," he said softly. "But if you wanna talk about it, I'm here."

She completely broke down at this sudden and unexpected kindness. She turned to face him and cried into his red shirt, hanging on to him as if he was all she had left in the world. He wrapped his arms around her and waited for her to begin.

"It's Souta," she whispered. "Souta…"

Souta? That sounded like a guy's name… Was this Souta some ex-boyfriend that she wasn't over yet? He felt a sudden wave of pain and jealously. She was still stuck on some other guy… And it was hurting her. That was more important that his petty jealousy. He had to help her get through this… "Who's Souta?"

"My… My brother…"

Brother? Why would her brother be making her cry?

"We… We had to give him up for adoption when he was born, but he lived next to us… I've never been a day without him, and we… We had to leave him…" She cried harder.

He felt sympathy for her, but couldn't stop the wave of relief that flooded through him. She didn't love another guy… "Oh, Kagome… It'll be okay. I'm here for you. And so are Sango and the others… You can still write to him, right?"

"I… I guess so…"

"And I'm sure you'll see him again soon. I understand how you feel, I lost both my parents, but please stop crying… I can't stand to see you cry…"

"Your father died, too?"

The look she gave him broke his heart. She was clearly still grieving for the loss of her father, and there was plenty of evidence that she missed her brother, but she was more concerned for his loss than her own… It suddenly struck him that that was the kind of person she was. Someone who cared more about others than themselves… But she would never get over what had happened unless she opened up about it. And it was clear that she hadn't talked much about it. "Yea… They died when I was little. But that isn't important right now. I'm over it now. Are you okay?"

"Does it… Never mind."

"No, it's okay. You can ask me."

She looked up at him, tears still pooling in her eyes. "Does the pain ever go away?" she whispered, pain evident in her voice.

He felt his heart split in two again. She was so young at heart, so innocent… And she had been forced to endure so much. It wasn't fair… He pulled her into a tighter embrace, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I won't lie to you," he murmured. "It always hurts a little. But you have to talk about it to relieve the pain. And it helps to have good friends. Remember, I'll always be here for you."

"Why?" she whispered in his ear. "I hardly know you, yet you've helped me so much… I feel like I've known you forever."

"I don't know… There's just something special about you. I feel like I've known you a long time, too." He pushed her away slightly and wiped away her tears. "Don't cry. It's going to be okay. I promise."

"Thank you," she said. "For everything."

He smiled at her. "What are friends for?" They walked back to the school as the fifth period bell rang, hand in hand.

It turned out that they both had Biology fifth period, so they walked there together. Inuyasha opened the door and walked up to the teacher, an elderly man who was sleeping. "Yo, Myoga!" he shouted. "Wake up!"

"Wha- I- Oh! Master Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "How many times to I have to tell you, old man? You don't work for me anymore, and I didn't like the whole 'Master' thing even when you did. So can it. I wish I could just let you sleep, you're a lot more interesting that way, but Kagome here is a new student and I think you ought to show her a little respect. You know, like actually being awake to welcome her to the class?"

"Yes, Master Inuyasha! Hello, Miss… Um… Kahome, was it?"

Inuyasha grabbed him by the collar and held him half a foot off the ground. "I told you, quit with the 'Master' bit. And it's Kagome, not Kahome."

"Yes, Master Inuyasha! Please, Miss Kahome, have a seat!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and motioned to his desk. Kagome sat next to him. "He's hopeless…" Inuyasha muttered.

Kagome was still fighting back laughter. "That's how you should treat Naraku! Besides, did you ever think that maybe he calls you Master because you act like you're his boss?" She was obviously back to normal.

He glared at her. "Keh."

"See?" she cried in delight. "There you go again! That's what I meant!"

"Ke- Fe- Oh, shaddup."

Kagome burst out laughing, waking the elderly Myoga.

"Miss Kahome! Please, be silent! I am attempting to sleep!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Shut up, old man."

"Well, if the two of you can't be quiet you can go out in the hall!"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Fine by me. C'mon, Kag." He held out a hand for her, and she took it, blushing slightly. Better to be out in the hallway than to sit around listening to this guy snore… The two walked out into the hallway, and Inuyasha sat on the floor outside the door to the classroom, motioning for her to sit beside him. She complied, but merely sat staring at the floor for a few long moments, causing Inuyasha to become concerned.

"Hey, Kag, you okay? You seem a little preoccupied…" He sent her a worried glance. "You're not still thinking about your brother, are you?"

"It's not that. I just…" She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist. _We seem to have gotten so close in such a short time… I guess sharing your deepest secrets can do that to people. _"I'm… Confused."

"About what?" he inquired.

"How I feel."

"About moving here? I understand that you're upset, but you wanna know something? I'm glad you're here, and I think that goes for the others, too. You're a kind and caring person, not to mention the whole Naraku incident… Wait. You're not upset about that, are you? I told you I'd protect you. You shouldn't be afraid, especially not of him. Remember, I'm here for you."

Kagome smiled up at him and nodded in assent. He was so sweet… And yet so wrong. She was confused about _him_, not Naraku. _He makes me feel so… safe… But why?_

The sixth period bell interrupted her thoughts. "Oh my gosh!" she cried, standing up abruptly. Her voice rang out above the noise made by the other students. "If I don't hurry then I'll be late to sixth period, too!"

Inuyasha smiled. "What class?" he asked.

"Home Ec."

His face darkened and he grabbed her wrist. "Look at me," he said. She turned around in surprise. "Inuyasha, what-"

"You're lucky. I have Home Ec next, too. But Naraku is also in that class. So be careful. Never leave my sight, you got it? I don't trust the two of you in the same room together without my protection until I teach you how to defend yourself." He lowered his voice. "He might hurt you, and then I'd never forgive myself."

Kagome smiled up at him. "You have no idea how much that means to me." She took his hand, ignoring his blush, and they retrieved their books from the slumbering Myoga's classroom before heading to Home Ec. It was strange- even in the face of such impending danger, Kagome couldn't help but feel at peace. She knew he would protect her, and being around him made her feel safe and wanted. He was the only one who had ever cared enough to ask about her father, and he had been concerned about her problem with Souta as well. She liked being near him, and, strange as it seemed, would willingly trust him with her life. It was a strange feeling, and she once again found herself comparing her new home to her one in Japan. The friends she had there seemed almost superficial now; they were her companions during school hours, but they had hardly talked about anything besides schoolwork and boys. In fact, of her three 'friends', whom she had known for seven years, she only knew the last name of one. She didn't talk about her home life to anyone but Souta. She wasn't shy by nature, but she hardly went around spilling her guts to every cute guy that came her way. There was just something about him… The sixth period bell jolted her from her reverie.

"Not again!" she cried, taking off down the hall at run, dragging a helpless and screaming Inuyasha behind her.

After two minutes of running, she skidded to a halt in front of a water fountain. "Boy, am I thirsty!" she cried, happily slurping up some of the tap water.

Inuyasha stared at her incredulously, still gasping for breath. "You've… got… no… idea… where… you're… going,… do you?"

Kagome wiped her mouth on her sleeve and smiled nervously, scratching her head in embarrassment.

"Heh… Guess not. Wasn't really thinking about that…"

Inuyasha sweatdropped. Then he got an idea. An awful idea. A terrible, wonderful, awful idea. "C'mere, Kagome. I know how to get there faster. And _I_ actually know the way."

"Uh, yea, about that-"

She never got to finish. Inuyasha picked her up bridal style and rushed down the hallway… Back the way they had come from. At first Kagome screamed (I know, how can the teachers miss all this screaming?) and latched onto him for support, but she soon realized that he would do nothing to put her in danger and relaxed, snuggling into him and hanging her arms loosely around his neck. Inuyasha blushed, but pulled the sleeping girl closer to him. She had good reason to be tired. She had just moved here, and it had been a trying day. But a part of him yearned for the days in the future, when he might be holding her for other reasons. "Like love…" he whispered, his statement going unnoticed by the slumbering girl in his arms. He came to a halt in front of a large room with pink double doors. Realizing it probably wasn't the best idea to carry her into class, he shook her gently. "Kagome," he whispered in her ear, "wake up…"

"Huh?" She blinked the sleep from her eyes and yawned. "What's going on?"

"We're here," he said, setting her down gently on the ground.

She wobbled a little and he steadied her, earning him a gracious smile. "Thanks," she said. "Seems like you've had to do that a lot lately."

He shrugged. "Whatever. Lets just go before we're any later than we are already, okay?"

She giggled at his nonchalant attitude. "Sure," she replied, opening the door. They stepped inside, prepared to face whatever Naraku threw their way. Little did they know…

"Sorry I'm late, Miss Karasuma," said Inuyasha. "But Kagome's new here and-"

"And someone has made that same excuse for being late ever since first period this morning. I saw Miss Higurashi on my roster and new that someone else would be late."

The two blushed. "Well… Um… You see-"

"Never mind, Miss Higurashi. Take a seat next to Inuyasha. You will be working with Naraku and Kagura today."

Kagome paled and Inuyasha wrapped a protective arm around her waist. "Miss Karasuma," he said, "I don't think-"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Inuyasha! How many times will I have to tell you to stop fighting with Naraku! He is the perfect student, and all you ever do is pick on him!"

"Oh," said Kagome, "perfect student. Right. That explains everything. Like how he was fully prepared to attack me at lunch today and would have if Inuyasha and the others hadn't been there."

"Miss Higurashi, I am astounded!" Miss Karasuma cried. "I hoped that as a new student you would have enough sense to keep your mouth shut until you got to know how things work around here, but apparently that is not the case! Of course I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose… You hanging around with that delinquent Inuyasha and all. But it is a pity…"

Kagome seethed. "How dare you?" she hissed.

"Excuse me?" replied an astonished Miss Karasuma. "What did you just say to me?"

"I said, HOW DARE YOU!" she cried. "All he has done since the moment I met him was care about me and help me, and now he isn't standing more than two feet away from you and you're talking about him like he isn't even here! What has he ever done to you?"  
Inuyasha was amazed. "Kagome-" he began, but she turned and cut him off.

"Stay out of this," she said softly. "You've helped me so much… Now it's my turn to help you." Oblivious to the shock on his face, she whirled back around to face Miss Karasuma. "I don't know how things work here, but at my old school teachers treated students equally. I am fully prepared to report you to the principal if necessary. So I _suggest_," she fumed, "that you do not repeat this incident. Understood?"

Miss Karasuma glared. "Young lady-"

Kagome's eyes flashed. "I have the principal on speed dial," she said, pulling out her cell phone. "I have only to push a button…"

Karasuma gritted her teeth. "Very well… Now have a seat with Naraku and Kagura. I am still in charge of this class, even if one of my students is blackmailing me…"

Kagome smiled triumphantly and turned to face a flabbergasted Inuyasha. "C'mon," she said, grabbing his hand. "Let's go."

They walked over to Naraku's table and glared at him.

"Well, well, well. How unexpected," he said. "The miko defending the hanyou."

Kagome and Inuyasha looked over at each other, thunderstruck.

WHAT?

A/N: Wow… Over twelve pages on Microsoft Word (A.K.A. 5,354 words (not including A/Ns or titles)). Longest chappie I've ever written… So what did you think? (Besides hating me for the evil cliffie).

Inu: I am in no way that sappy. I'd have left her to cry.

Kagome: You would have? sobs

Inu: No, Kagome, don't cry!

Authoress: snickers Told ya. Well, anyway, I hope you liked it! (I didn't. --. I rushed it too much. sigh That's what I get for being a romance sap, I guess.) Did anyone see the reference from _How The Grinch Stole _Christmas? Tell me in your review and I'll post the names of the winners! R&R, peeps! New chappie will be up soon! (And I ordered a solid gold wall! (read My Sesshomaru if you don't get it))

BTW- go and read The Argument by Lessa3. It is awesome!

Next chapter: Mikos and Hanyous. R&R!


	2. Mikos and Hanyous

Hey! Torina here with the latest! Hope you like! Oh, and even though no one asked, no, Kikyo is not going to be in this fic (I don't think. But you never know with me… As Kaitlyn can tell you.) So she never fell in love with and/or broke Inuyasha's heart. This is his first (although very rushed, I know --) love. So sweet! Okay, review responses!

DarkSilverMaiden- O.o Wow. Never had such an emphatic reviewer before… That sounds like a review I would write! Well, thanks for liking it so much! I'm updating now!

Sesshophreak- sigh I KNOW that their relationship is moving too fast. But I told you people, I'm a hopeless romantic! There isn't anything I can do about it! And this chappie is even worse, so please no complaints on how it's too rushed, cuz I KNOW! Thanks for reviewing, though. About the length- in my opinion, the only way a story can be too long is when I haven't finished reading it and my mom makes me get off the computer. So I'm gonna keep making them fairly long, kay?

inu chick- Are you and DarkSilverMaiden long lost twins or something? It's cool, I like excited reviewers. I'm one of them! Well, like I told her, updating now!  
**IYWriterGirl**- Updating!

ichie- Hey! Thanks for being my only reviewer who actually asked questions! It's so much easier to think of an individual response to each reviewer that way… --. Inu does have his dog ears. I forgot to mention that he has been wearing a red (lol) hat this whole time. --. Sorry. I'm not so good at writing AU fics, I guess… Oh well. Oh, yea, the Grinch reference. Remember right before he picked her up and ran down the hallway to class? Well I wrote, "Then he got an idea. An awful idea. A terrible, wonderful, awful idea." That's from the Grinch, when he decides to dress up as Santa and steal everybody's presents and stuff. Yea, I know, lame that I know that. But my four year old bro watches the movie constantly, so… Yea. Oh well. Review this chappie, please!

**Kohaku's Sister**- Updating!

**Keiko89**- Updating!

Oh, yea, look out for the YuYu reference in this chappie! And the name of the Home Ec teacher from the last chappie was from WHR. I have nothing against Karasuma, I just wanted to use the name. She's actually one of my fav characters… After Robin and Amon, of course. Oh well. On with the fic!

Somebody Like You

Recap

"Well, well, well. How unexpected," he said. "The miko defending the hanyou."

Kagome and Inuyasha looked over at each other, thunderstruck.

WHAT?

Chapter Two: Mikos and Hanyous

They quickly covered up their shock. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Naraku," Inuyasha said smoothly. "Miko? Hanyou? Those are creatures of legend! You've finally gone mad, like I've always said."

"Oh?" Naraku raised his eyebrows. "Please, half-breed, I've seen your true form. Or did you forget our last battle? Besides, can you not sense her power? Ah, but of course, I had almost forgotten. Your humanity has dulled your senses; you wouldn't be able to identify her for what she is, now would you?"

Temporarily forgetting, in his rage, that he ought to hide his identity from Kagome, he replied testily, "You are hanyou as well, Naraku!"

"Yea," Naraku replied smugly, "but I believe that comment is in my defense, not your own. After all, if both of us (although I hesitate to compare us) are hanyou, and I could sense her strength when you could not, that just makes you all the weaker."

The mention of Kagome's power brought him crashing back to reality. _Great! She heard everything I just said! What am I gonna do now?_

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, her voice hardly audible, "Are you serious?"

Well, there was no longer any point in denying it… "Yes…" he replied softly, suddenly finding the ground extremely interesting. He abruptly felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see none other than a softly smiling Kagome.

"Guess you just proved what I've been trying to tell my grandfather for years."

"Wha- What?"

She smiled again, more reassuringly this time. "All demons aren't that bad."

Inuyasha's heart leapt. "Do… Do you mean it?"

"Would I lie to you?" she said softly.

Inuyasha felt a warm, overwhelming joy cascade over him. He had never felt like this; only with Kagome did he seem to experience this sense of… Belonging, he supposed. There was no other way to describe it. Somewhat like love, he mused. If you understood it, it just wouldn't be what it was…

"I suppose not," he whispered. He bent over slightly to kiss her, when-

The bell rang.

"Oh my God!" cried a frantic Kagome. "I'm gonna be late AGAIN!" Off she ran, dragging a poor Inuyasha (once more) behind her.

Naraku, still seated next to Kagura, glared. So, they wouldn't be separated by a single secret kept. That was fine with him. He enjoyed a good challenge. But they had to be alienated at all costs, and soon. Divided, he would conquer. But together… Even Naraku himself was willing to admit the possibility of defeat. And that was saying something.

"Come, Kagura," he said. "We will go fetch Kanna. We need a new plan…"

He rose from his seat and glided out the door, a glaring Kagura trailing dutifully behind him.

"Kagome!" he cried, his arm almost ready to fall off due to the speed at which she was dragging him. "Do you even know which class you have seventh period?"

She stopped abruptly at this realization, sending Inuyasha crashing into a wall.

"Oh my God!" she cried, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?"

He stood up and brushed the dust from his jeans. "Yea, I'm fine. But could you stop running off like that"

"Oh, yea… Heh." she scratched her head nervously and sweatdropped. "I guess I gotta work on that…"

Inuyasha sighed. "So what class do you have?"

She rummaged around in her large yellow backpack for her schedule. "Um… Math."

Inuyasha felt hope surge through him. "Takanaka?"

"Yea. You too?" she asked, looking up at him with such anticipation that his heart melted.

"Yea. Let's go."

"Okay." To Inuyasha's amazement, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck before he could lift her up himself. When he simply stood staring, she tilted her head to the side and said, "Inu? You okay?"

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. _She really trusts me… _"Yea. C'mon, let's go."

He lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hallway, subconsciously deciding to take the long way to their Algebra class. He liked spending time alone with her, and he wasn't going to miss out on a chance to be by her side.

Mr. Takanaka sighed. It had taken him twenty minutes, but the class had finally calmed down… He was going to send appreciation notes to all the teachers he had looked down upon when he was the principal of Sariashki Junior High. And he had thought that Urameshi was difficult… These children were terrors! Oh well. Time to start class… "All right, everyone, today we are going to-"

He was interrupted by the loud banging sound of the classroom door being opened.

"Sorry we're late, Takanaka. Kag's new here, and-"

Inuyasha's excuse was cut off by the rest of the class exploding in cheers.

"All right!"

" 'Yasha's here!"

"Come sit by me, man!"

"Yea, class is never any fun without you!"

Takanaka sighed. Was it too much to ask to hope for a single peaceful day?

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and set Kagome down. "Oh, shut it, ya moochers. Maybe if you would shut your traps for half a second you would learn something, instead of being the idiots you are. And no, I'm not giving out free tickets to the dance this weekend, for the last time- only the principal can do that. And he doesn't. So, as you're not even my friends, you can pay your way in, just like everyone else. The classroom quieted, and Inuyasha turned his gaze to Takanaka. "Well, are you gonna teach us some math today or what?"

Takanaka nodded his gratitude. Inuyasha might act like a tough guy, but in all honesty he was a truly kind and brilliant child… "Okay, everyone," he said as Inuyasha and Kagome took their seats, "can anyone tell me the area of the shaded part of a rectangle if the dimensions of the entire polygon are 3X4 and 2X2, and the dimensions of the unshaded section are 4X-5 and 2X-3?"

Kagome raised her hand instantly.

"Yes, Miss… Er…"

"Higurashi," she responded, "and he area of the shaded section of the rectangular figure is 6X322X-15." (Do it yourself if you don't believe me!)

Takanaka blinked, glancing at the answer sheet in disbelief. "Um… Yes, that was correct… Would you like to try another?"

Kagome smiled and nodded, standing and walking to the chalkboard to explain the concept of factoring to the class. From his seat, Inuyasha grinned. She was fitting in perfectly. Hopefully, this would help her forget about her little brother, at least for the time being. 'The time being' meaning, of course, until he came up with a plan to reunite them. She wasn't going to be away from her brother for very long if he had anything to say about it. She deserved so much better of a life than the one she was living… And she was going to get it.

Kagome sighed and leaned against her locker. "That was the most tiring day of my life…"

Inuyasha shook his head and smirked inwardly. It figured she wouldn't be tired until the end of the day… "Come on," he said. "I'll walk you home."

Kagome stood up hurriedly and brushed her skirt off. "On second thought," she said, hefting her backpack over her shoulder, "I think I'm okay. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Inuyasha was surprised at her sudden change in attitude. He could smell the sudden fear and apprehension that threatened to engulf her. "Are you sure?" he asked, uncertain.

"Definitely sure," she said quickly. "Bye now!"

"Hold on a sec," he said, grabbing her shoulder and whirling her around. He gazed deeply into her eyes. "You're hiding something."

Kagome winced. "It's nothing, really. I'll be okay."

"Kagome…"

"Just trust me, okay?" she pled desperately. "it's for your own good…"

"What do you mean?" he asked, concerned. "Are you in danger?"

"No," she muttered, "but you would be."

Thanks to his hanyou hearing, Inuyasha was able to detect the lightly spoken sentiment. "What?"

She whirled on him, her tone fierce. "I'm a miko, remember?" she hissed. "My family wouldn't take kindly to me bringing a demon home, no matter how kind and gentle you are. They would attack first, ask questions later." Her tone and expression softened, and she looked at him with affection and something akin to protectiveness. "I won't put you in that kind of danger."

"Kagome, I can take care of myself. Besides, I can't risk letting you go out alone. Naraku is out there, remember?"

He could smell the fear that now radiated off her in waves. "I'll be fine," she lied. "I can walk home from here without my life being in danger."

But her voice shook as she said this, and Inuyasha didn't fail to notice. He folded his arms across his chest and clearly enunciated, "You are not going alone."

Kagome sighed. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"

He shook his head, determined. "Not a chance."

Kagome sighed and relented, taking his hand in hers and walking out the door. "Thanks," she whispered as they walked down the street.

He tilted his head to the side in confusion. "For what?" he inquired.

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "For caring…"

Inuyasha smiled, content to simply be by her side.

"Mom! Grandpa!" Kagome called, releasing Inuyasha's hand and running up the shrine steps, "I'm home!"

"Kagome, stand back!" a male voice from within the shrine called. "I sense a demon!" A short, old man came into view, wielding paper ofudas and crying, "Die now, youkai!"

The paper stuck to Inuyasha's forehead, and he looked up at it for a moment, cross-eyed in annoyance, before peeling it off peevishly. "Hey, what was that for, old man?" he called.

The priest now looked frightened. "Oh no! This demon is dreadfully powerful! Dispose of it, Kagome!"

Inuyasha looked on, incredulous. The man couldn't defeat a demon, so he sent out his own granddaughter to do the dirty work for him? What kind of family was this?

"Grandpa, stop it!" Kagome cried. "Inuyasha's my friend!"

A strange warm feeling filled Inuyasha at her words. She considered him a friend… She had treated him as such, but hearing her say it evoked new and powerful feelings in the inu-hanyou. What had he done to earn the friendship of such a wonderful person?

"WHAT?!?!" her grandfather cried. "This is awful! Just wait until your mother hears about this! Oh, for shame! My own granddaughter dating a youkai!"

The two immediately flushed. "We are NOT dating, jii-san. I wasn't feeling well, so he offered to walk me home." The two suddenly realized how couple-like that sounded, and blushed more deeply.

Trying to cover up her mistake, Kagome continued, "Besides, he's not a youkai. He's a hanyou."

Her jii-san's eyes widened, and he started running around in frantic little circles, waving his hands back and forth over his head and shouting, "Haaaaalf Deeeeeeeeemon!"

A woman who seemed to be in her late thirties stepped out of the door to the main shrine. "What on earth is going on out here?" she demanded. There was something unique about her voice; it was firm, but kind and understanding. This woman was clearly an objective person, willing to listen to all sides of the story before deciding what to do. She seemed concerned, but not angry, at her family's strange behavior. These thoughts put Inuyasha at ease. Certainly this woman would understand that he meant neither her or her family harm, and allow him to stay friends with Kagome.

"Daughter!" Kagome's jii-san cried, flinging himself at her. "Kagome is dating a hanyou!"

"We're not dating!" Kagome cried. "Inuyasha's just a friend! He was only walking me home to… Uh… Study. Right Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha was in his own little world, mesmerized by the way the light reflected off the miko's hair, so Kagome elbowed him to get his attention. "Right, Inuyasha?" she stressed.

"What?" Inuyasha mentally banged his head on a wall. _Smooth, Inu,_ he thought. _Smooth…_ "Oh, yea, right. Homework." _MUCH better._

Oh, shut up, Inuyasha countered. _You're just a voice in my head…_

Yea, a much smarter voice.

Shut up.

Why don't you?

Cuz I'm me.

But I'm you, too.

…

See? I'm right, aren't I?

… Just shut up. 

Inuyasha was brought back to reality by Kagome, who was waving her hand up and down in front of his face. "Hello?" she asked. "Earth to Inuyasha!"

"Huh? Oh, Kagome, hey… Sorry, spaced out for a second there."

"I noticed," she replied, a slight amount of amusement in her tone. "What was going on in that head of yours, anyway? Having a personal conversation with the voices in your head?"

Inuyasha was struck dumb for a moment by how close to the mark her assessment actually was. To cover his shock, he replied, "Yea, nine out of ten agree that I'm sane."

Kagome burst out laughing. "God," she gasped between breaths, "that's the funniest thing I've heard in the longest time…"

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "You don't get out much, do you?"

"It's not that. It's just… I don't guess any of my friends back home were very humorous people. And mom hasn't laughed since dad died…"

"Kagome Higurashi!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed. "How dare you discuss such personal issues with someone you have only just met! I swear, if your father were here-"

"But he's not," Kagome interjected angrily. "And neither is Souta. You say that we moved here because it was in our best interests… But sometimes I think that you just wanted to run away from your memories of the past. To start over… I tried that, mom. But you can't forget the past. Who you once were shapes who you are now. And if I want to discuss things that everyone else refuses to talk about with one of my friends, then I have every right! I'm sick of you trying to block father out of your mind! You have to talk to someone. And when you're ready to grow up and take advice from someone other than yourself, I'll be perfectly willing to oblige you. But until then, back off from me and my friends!" Kagome turned on her heel and marched up the shrine steps, her fury apparent.

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes shone with sadness. She had clearly not meant to hurt her daughter- she was only trapped in a situation that was beyond her control. She was unable to manage her emotions, and therefore acted harshly. She made to follow Kagome into the house to speak to her, but Inuyasha stopped her.

"Mrs. Higurashi, I understand what you're going through, but talking to Kagome about it right now will only make things worse. Please, let me speak with her…"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "All right. Just… Just tell her that I'm sorry. And that I love her…"

Inuyasha smiled slightly. "I'll be sure to ." He turned around and walked into the shrine, following Kagome's scent. He climbed up to the second story and knocked on the door that her scent stopped at. "Kagome?" he asked. "Are you in there?"

"Go away!" she cried, her words muffled by tears and something that sounded suspiciously like a pillow.

"Kagome, it's me. Inuyasha."

The door opened slowly to reveal Kagome, her eyes puffy and bloodshot with crying. "Inuyasha, I'm sorry," she whispered, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "It's just my mother, she-"

"She loves you, Kagome, even if it doesn't always seem like it," he said, gathering her into his arms. "She was wrong to run away from her problems, but she thought it would help all of you, not just her. She did it for you as much as herself… And she doesn't mean to hurt you. So please, Kagome, stop crying. I hate it when you cry…" He brushed away a few wayward tears.

Kagome hugged Inuyasha tightly and smiled. "Thanks, Inuyasha. I appreciate everything you've done for me… Let's go do our homework."

Inuyasha nodded and squeezed her hand, smiling slightly. "Let's."

From her hiding place in the hall closet Mrs. Higurashi smiled. Maybe all hope was not lost in her relationship with Kagome. And it seemed that this new friend of hers was the key to solving all their problems.

"Okay," said Inuyasha, "so to find the area of the shaded portion, you calculate the area of the entire figure and then subtract the area of the smaller unshaded section?"

"Yup," said Kagome. "You're getting the hang of it! See, I told you it was simple. It didn't even take you long to figure it out!"

Inuyasha snorted. "You call two hours short?"

Kagome bit her lip nervously. "Well… You tried your best, right? And you get it now. All's well that ends well!"

Inuyasha blinked. "You know something?"

Kagome looked at him quizzically. "What?"

"You're a little too optimistic."

Kagome threw a pillow at his head. "Well maybe you're a little to pessimistic."

Inuyasha smirked. "Maybe. But I'm not the one who's about to be screaming bloody murder."

Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I haven't lost a pillow fight in twelve years," he replied. "And it seems to me that you just started one."

Kagome's eyes widened in fear. "Y- You wouldn't!" she exclaimed.

"Oh," replied Inuyasha, "I would." He threw back the pillow she had tossed at him, and so the pillow fight began.

Inuyasha easily gained the upper hand, bombarding her with every pillow and plushie in her room. Kagome screamed in excitement, laughing as he tossed the last plushie in her room at him and pushed her down on her bed.

"Gotcha," he declared, pinning her arms down. "Do you give up?"

"Never!" Kagome cried, struggling against his grip.

Inuyasha sighed. "Well then you leave me no choice… I'll have to unleash my most powerful weapon."

Kagome shrank back instinctively. "Wh- What?" The look in his eyes was giving her the creeps.

"Tickling!" he cried, his assault sending her into uncontrollable fits of laughter.

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "Okay, I give! Just stop!"

"You surrender?" Inuyasha prodded, refusing to cease until she admitted his superiority.

"Yes! I surrender!"

He stopped tickling her, but wouldn't let her up. "And you agree that I am better than you?"  
Kagome sent him a warning glance. "You're pushing it."

Inuyasha smiled and relented, releasing her. Kagome's door suddenly slammed open.

"Demon! Stay away from my granddaughter!" Kagome's jii-san threw six ofudas at Inuyasha, who shredded them with his claws before they could reach him.

"Jii-san, what are you doing?" Kagome exclaimed. "I told you, Inuyasha is my friend!"

He stood there stupidly a moment before replying, "Then why were you screaming? And why is your bedroom in such disarray?"

Kagome flushed as she noticed the terrible state her room was in. "We… We were playing, jii-san."

"Well, the two of you can clean up this mess before you come down for dinner." With this kind parting statement, her jii-san turned and left.

Kagome sighed as she surveyed the extent of the damage. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to, Inuyasha."

He shrugged. "I'll help. After all, I made most of the mess." _And I'll get to stay with you longer…_

Kagome shot him a brilliant smile. "Thanks, Inuyasha." She turned her gaze back to the room and sighed again. "Well, let's get cleaning."

OMG, that was so SHORT! sobs Oh well. I just got a really bad case of writer's block… I'll try to start updating faster, kay? My life has just been really hectic lately... Next chappie is cleaning fun and more of Naraku! And Inu/Kag fluffiness, of course! Well, g2g. R&R, peeps!


	3. Relationships

Hey, peeps! Sup? Here's chappie three for ya! R&R, hope you like! By the way, at my school we have a 45 minute period before first period where people can either come and study or just hang around and chat in the cafeteria. It's called Tutorials. Dunno if everywhere is like that… But this school is gonna, kay? And the fluff ABOUNDS in this chappie… More relationship rushing, but oh well. Review responses!

Torina

demonchik39- Here's your kiss!

A.K- Updating!

DarkSilverMaiden- I don't really know where the snow war came from… They were outside and it was snowing, could the situation have been more perfect? One of my favorite fics is Hot Cocoa by CrimsonDemon- it also has a snow fight scene. You should read it! TOTALLY sappy. Thanks for reviewing so many of my stories! This chappie is for you!

Miroku69- Hey, bro. Don't you mean Naraku is meaner in the show? And no duh- I'm, not gonna make a teenage Naraku kill anybody (I don't think). Just breaking people up and corporate schemes and stuff. He's gonna beat people up, but no one is gonna die. Who knows, Naraku might go to jail... And I know Inu is OOC. It can't be fluffy if he isn't. So deal.

Somebody Like You

Chapter Three: Relationships

Kagome sighed and flopped down on her bed. Inuyasha joined her shortly.

"That took _forever_," he commented.

Kagome glared at him. "Well if _someone_ hadn't insisted on starting another pillow fight and creating an even bigger mess, it might not have taken so long…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and Kagome glanced at her clock and groaned. Inuyasha sent her a concerned glance. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's nine o'clock," she replied.

He tilted his head to the side in confusion. "And…?"

She sighed. "And mom doesn't let us eat the dinner she's cooked past eight thirty. She says eating so late is bad for your metabolism, and thinks that is incentive for us to eat earlier. We'll have to fend for ourselves."

Inuyasha shrugged, "Okay, lets go to Burger King, then."

(I'm sick of the whole 'WacDonalds' thing. So I'm officially protesting. Ya, Burger King is lame, But it's all I could think of…)

Kagome nodded, flushing slightly. Sure, it wasn't _really_ a date, but still… "Okay, but I'll have to let my mom know first."

Inuyasha sent her an apprehensive glance. "You haven't talked to her since earlier… Are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

She nodded, even though she was a little insecure. "Yea, I'll be fine. Just give me a minute, kay?"

He nodded his assent, and she walked out into the hallway. "Mom?" she called uncertainly. "Mom, are you there?" Mrs. Higurashi met her halfway down the stairs.

"What is it, Kagome?"

"Inuyasha and I are going out for a while, okay? We'll be back by ten, promise."

"I thought you two weren't dating?"

Kagome flushed. "We're not!" she exclaimed. "We just took so long cleaning that we missed your dinner deadline, so we were gonna go out and get something to eat."

Her mother sighed. "All right, dear. But don't make a habit of this, okay? Eating this late is-"

"Bad for my metabolism, I know." Kagome rolled her eyes. "Honestly, mom, you'd think jii-san and I don't get this talk every day."

"Sorry, Kagome dear. I'm just trying to take care of you…"

Kagome smiled warmly and embraced her mother. "I know. Thanks, mom. Hey, Inuyasha! C'mon! My mom said we can go!"

He trudged down the stairs, smiling ever so slightly at the sight of Kagome and her mom standing so close. _At least they made up…_

"Let's go, Inuyasha. Bye mom, bye jii-san!" She grabbed his hand and ran out the front door.

"Kagomeeeeeee! Not again! Do you even know where Burger King _is_?"

Kagome's mother stood at the door, giggling as she saw Kagome stop abruptly, sending Inuyasha straight into the neighbor's mailbox. Kagome bent over him, stuttering concerned apologies, but the boy simply brushed himself off and shook his head, clearly amused by her daughter's antics, before taking her hand and leading her in the opposite direction they had been heading.

-----

"So, what's it like living in Japan? I lived there with my father when I was little, but I moved here when he died, so I hardly remember anything."

Kagome stirred her chocolate milkshake, thinking. "Well, it's a lot like living here, I guess. Go to school, do homework, eat, sleep… But I never had a pillow fight back home." She smiled at him. "Inuyasha, I just wanted to thank you for all you've done for me. Today was one of the most incredible days of my life. No one has ever understood or accepted my like you have. It means a lot."

Inuyasha returned the gesture with a fanged grin of his own. "For what it's worth, I had fun today, too. I don't have many friends, but each and every one of them is like family to me. I'm proud to consider you a friend, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "I'm glad you're my friend too, Inuyasha. Although I don't have much of a standard to go by, you're the best friend I've ever had."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Thanks." He looked at his watch. "It's getting late, Kag. We'd better go."

She nodded and stood. "Okay." She took his hand and they exited the restaurant, heading towards Kagome's home. They spoke little, simply enjoying the moment, until Kagome shivered. Inuyasha shook his head. "You should have gone back for a jacket before like I said. It's cold out." He took off his leather jacket and placed it over her shoulders, and her shivering subsided. "Better?" he inquired.

She nodded, blushing slightly. "Thanks."

They walked up the shrine steps, hand in hand, and stopped at the doorway, uncertain of how to proceed. "Well… I had fun tonight."

Kagome nodded her assent. "Me too."

"Um… I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

She laughed. "Unless I contract some kind of mysterious disease, yes."

Inuyasha stared at her a moment, captivated by how beautiful she was when she laughed. Heck, she was beautiful all the time… The moonlight reflected off her hair, the ebony strands gleaming in the night. He suddenly had the urge to kiss her, and he could not keep it at bay. He bent over slightly and brought his lips to hers.

She seemed surprised at first, but her shock quickly wore off and she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. He pulled away, a slight blush gracing both their cheeks.

"Goodnight, Kagome," he whispered, kissing her on the cheek and disappearing into the night.

She raised a hand to her lips as if to confirm that he had truly just done what she thought he had, but this was unnecessary. Her lips were still tingling from his kiss…

"Goodnight, Inuyasha."

-----

Kagome entered the cafeteria the next morning and sat down by Sango, still slightly agitated from the previous night's encounter. Had he mean it? Had it all been a dream? What would the coming day bring?

She was brought back to reality by Sango, who was waving her hand emphatically in front of her face. "Kagome? Are you listening?"

"What? Oh, sorry Sango. I was thinking…"

Sango sent her a curious glance. "About what?"

Kagome flushed slightly. "Oh, no one…"

Sango's eyes widened. "Ooh… Is it a guy, Kagome?" she said in a strangled whisper, as if she longed to shriek in delight, but contained herself for her friend's sake.

Kagome bit her lip as she replayed the conversation in her head and realized her mistake. "Um… Yea?" she said uncertainly, as if unsure if this was the answer Sango was looking for.

She squealed quietly in glee, hardly able to contain her excitement. "Who, Kagome? Who?"

Kagome shook her head. "Sorry, Sango. I don't kiss and tell."

Sango's eyes, if possible, widened even more. "He _kissed _you?" she exclaimed in hushed tones, clearly bursting with enthusiasm. "_Who_, Kagome?"

Kagome groaned, angry at herself for slipping up again. "You won't make me tell, Sango. It's my secret." _Besides,_ she thought, _I'm not sure he meant it… At least not that way._

Inuyasha entered the building, and Kagome averted her gaze, blushing. Sango turned to see what had drawn her friend's gaze and gasped, turning back to her friend in shock. "_Inuyasha_?!?" she exclaimed, shocked. "_Inuyasha _kissed you?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "No! No, he… Uh… Um…"

Inuyasha walked over and sat down next to Kagome. "Hey, guys."

Kagome blushed harder. "H- Hey Inuyasha."

He shot her a concerned glance. _Is she upset about yesterday? Maybe I shouldn't have kissed her…_

"Hey, Kagome. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Sango sent her a knowing glance, and Kagome flushed. "Sure, Inuyasha."

They stood up and he led her to a small, secluded classroom outside the cafeteria. "Kagome, are you okay?"

Kagome nodded. "I'm fine. I just… said some things to Sango that I probably shouldn't have."

He looked at her questioningly. "About last night?"

She flushed and turned from his gaze. "Yea…"

Inuyasha wasn't convinced. He put a hand on her shoulder and tilted her chin up so that she was looking in his eyes. "That's not all, is it?"

She bit her lip nervously, wondering whether she ought to tell him or not. In the end her emotions won out and she blurted, "Did you mean it?"  
He looked at her strangely, clearly confused. "Mean what?"  
"Last night," she said softly. "When you kissed me… Why did you do it?"

He smiled. "Is that all?" He bent down and brushed his lips against hers, causing her to look up at him in surprise. "Same reason I kissed you just now," he said simply. "I think… I think I'm falling in love with you."

Kagome smiled and embraced him, pure elation flooding through her. "I think I love you too…" she whispered.

He smiled softly and buried his face in her hair, deeply inhaling the scent that sent him reeling. She was so kind, so gentle, so special… And she was his. She loved him… He had never been happier.

Kagome lost herself in his embrace. She was on cloud nine… He loved her. He _loved_ her… For that one moment, all was right with the world.

And then the bell rang.

"Inuyasha, come on! We're going to be late for class!"

"Kagome, we don't even have the same first period! Kagome, slow down! KAGOMEEEEEEEE!"

-----

Kagome slammed open the door to Miss Kaede's class, panting, her hair in disarray. "Gomen ne, sensei Kaede-san. I-" She flushed as she realized she had been speaking in Japanese and switched to English. "Um… Sorry, Miss Kaede. There was a bit of a misunderstanding and I-"

"It's quite alright, Miss Higurashi. Miss Takani has already informed me of your situation."

Kagome sent Sango a quizzical glance. "She has?"

Miss Kaede nodded. It is quite easy to forget to bring your textbook to class the first week or so, so I shall excuse your tardiness. I realize how difficult it is for newcomers to find their way through these buildings, and how distant the lockers and classrooms are. Please, take your seat."

Kagome bowed and sent Sango a look of gratitude. "Thank you for understanding, Kaede-baa-chan."

Miss Kaede raised her eyebrows as Kagome sat down. "Kaede-baa-chan?"

Kagome flushed at being caught, once again, integrating Japanese into her vocabulary. "It is a form of respect, ma'am. My apologies."

Miss Kaede nodded and turned to the blackboard, beginning the lesson.

"Thank you," Kagome mouthed to Sango.

Sango nodded and scribbled on a piece of paper, 'You owe me. I want _all_ the details.'

Kagome flushed at the note, but decided to feign innocence. 'About what?'

Sango rolled her eyes. 'You and Inuyasha, stupid! I can't _believe_ you're dating!'

Kagome's eyes widened. 'We're not! Well, not technically…'

'Which means?'

Kagome bit her lip. 'I'll tell you at lunch.'

Sango rolled her eyes again. 'You're stalling.'

Kagome smirked, albeit nervously. 'So?'

-----

Kagome took a deep breath and entered the cafeteria, ready to be pounced upon.

She was not disappointed.

The instant she walked in, Sango grabbed her arm and pulled her to the same table they had sat at the day before.

"Okay, Kagome," she said as soon as they were seated, "you've stalled long enough. Now tell me what's going on between you and Inuyasha!"

"Did someone say my name?"

Kagome sighed in relief as Inuyasha broke into the conversation. _Saved by the bell…_

He bent over and kissed her lightly on the cheek before sitting down. "So, what did I miss?"

Kagome groaned internally. _Or maybe not…_

Ayame, Kouga, and Miroku's eyes widened. Sango smirked, and Kagome held her face in her hands. Inuyasha looked around the table, confused at the others' strange behavior. "What?"

"Well, Kagome," said Sango, "what do you have to say now?"

Kagome bit her lip and said meekly, "I said not _technically_."

Kouga cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but what the heck is going on here?"

"Nothing!" Kagome exclaimed hurriedly. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, a strange and unwelcome feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. Was she embarrassed about their relationship? Was that why she had been avoiding his gaze all day?

"Kagome," he said softly, "I need to talk to you."

She shot him a questioning glance. "Okay…"

They stood and walked outside the cafeteria, into the same room he had led her to that morning. "Kagome, why don't you want people to know about us? I love you, and I'm not afraid to admit it… I want the whole world to know how I feel. Are you ashamed that I'm a hanyou?"

Kagome looked up at him, shock written all over her face. "No! I could never be ashamed of you, Inuyasha. I love you. It's just… This is all new to me, you know? I've never had a boyfriend before, nonetheless fallen in love… It's kind of… Weird to talk about it. It's embarrassing to admit that I'm in a relationship at all, it has nothing to do with you. I don't know… I just wanted to keep it a secret for a while, I guess. Does that make me a bad person?" She looked up at him beseechingly, as if she were a small child asking for forgiveness from her mother.

Inuyasha smiled. "Of course not. I just didn't want to go on like this if you didn't really have feelings for me…"

She reached up and kissed him gently. "I love you, Inuyasha. That will never change…"

He kissed the top of her head and smiled. "C'mon, let's go back. The others will be wondering where we are…"

"Okay." She took his hand and they walked back into the lunchroom, sitting down at their table.

"Okay," said Ayame, "maybe now you two will tell us what's going on. Sango wouldn't say a thing!"

"Yea, Inuyasha," said Miroku, "what's with all the secrecy?"

Inuyasha looked at Kagome for approval, who nodded. He smiled and turned to the others, saying, "We are officially a couple."

They merely stared at them a moment before all chaos broke loose. Sango and Ayame shrieked, standing and running over to their friend and embracing her excitedly.

"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Sango exclaimed.

"I'm so happy for you! Why didn't you tell us earlier?" squealed Ayame.  
"Sango… Ayame… Can't… Breathe…"

"Oh!" The girls backed off, embarrassed.   
"Sorry…"

Kagome shook her head. "It's okay… I can't blame you for being surprised. I know it's a little sudden… But sometimes you just know, you know?"

Sango sighed dreamily. "Yea, it's like that with me and Miroku, too."

Ayame pouted. "Now I'm the only one in the group who's single."

Sango glanced at Kouga slyly. "I wouldn't say that…"

Ayame blushed. "SANGO! Will you just let that go?"

"Hm…" Sango pretended to think. "No!"

"SANGO!"

Kagome sighed contentedly and leaned against Inuyasha as she watched her friends bicker. Inuyasha leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Sango's right, you know. Kouga and Ayame really are perfect for each other."

Kagome smiled. "I'm sure they are. Let's just hope they end up as happy as we are…"

"Yea…" Inuyasha smiled and leaned over to kiss her. His lips were inches from hers when the bell rang. He sighed and prepared to have his arm virtually ripped off, and was pleasantly surprised when nothing happened.

"What," he commented, "aren't you gonna rush off to class now?"

She shook her head. "What's the point? It's just Myoga-sensei's class. Besides, I can think of something I'd much rather be doing than sleeping in Biology."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And what's that?"

She smiled. "This." And she kissed him.

-----

They skipped Biology. What was the point of going to class? It wasn't like they ever learned anything or Myoga took attendance… So it was Home Ec next. Joy to the world.

"Okay, just ignore Naraku. If we don't talk to him, then we should be okay."

Kagome smiled, and Inuyasha tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I just liked the way you said 'we'…"

He smiled and kissed her gently. "Come on. We'll be late."

They walked into the classroom and sat down, where Miss Karasuma had already started the lecture, even though the bell had yet to ring. Inuyasha suspected she had done this merely to leave them out, and his suspicions were confirmed as she sent a smug smirk in their direction. They were not so late, however, as to miss the assignment she had come up with.

"Okay class," said Miss Karasuma, "we are going to start a family project today. We will be working in groups of two. One of the members of your group shall play the husband, and the other shall play the wife. You shall be randomly assigned your occupation and residence, among other things, and work out as successful a 'marriage' as you are able to. This project will last for six weeks, so please choose your partners carefully. You need to be able to get along with your partner, or your marriage will fail and, consequently, so will you. Choose your partners now."

Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "What do you think? Can we make it six weeks without fighting?"

Kagome put a hand to her heart. "Inuyasha, I don't know... I mean, dating is fine, but marriage… Isn't it a little sudden?" She giggled at the look on his face.

"Keh. Fine. Be that way. I'll find someone else to be my partner…"

Kagome slapped his arm playfully. "Oh, stop it. You know I was just kidding. C'mon, let's go see what our future jobs are."

Inuyasha, still grumbling, followed her up to Miss Karasuma's desk.

"Figures you two would be partners…"

A glare from Kagome shut her up, and she handed them their envelope silently. They walked back to their table, ignoring Naraku and Kagura, who were seated with a small white-haired girl with the strangest expression on her face. She seemed… Soulless.

"Open your envelopes now, please."

They tore theirs open, and Kagome gasped.

"You have GOT to be kidding," Inuyasha exclaimed.

"I'm a POSTAL WORKER?!?!" Kagome cried.

Inuyasha snorted. "You think _you _have it bad? I'm a _garbage_ collector."

Kagome continued her perusal of the document before her, and Naraku smirked at them from across the table. "Well, half-breed, it seems that the two of you aren't going to pass this class…"

Inuyasha glared. "Oh, and I'm sure your jobs are wonderful."

"As a matter of fact," Naraku replied smugly, "I am the president of a computer production company. And Kagura is a very successful actress."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "We'll pass, you'll see. We can manage, right Kagome?"

"Um, Inuyasha?"

"Yea?"

"How on earth are we supposed to feed and clothe, not to mention put through college, _seven children_?"

Inuyasha gaped at her. "SEVEN CHILDREN?" he exclaimed.

Miss Karasuma smirked at them as she walked by. "Oh, so you are the unlucky pair who gets to play out the life of the Joneses… Congratulations. Let's see you invent some magical life-saving scenario to get yourselves out of this one… Your marriage is now of minimal importance. Your characters will both be dead by the time the six weeks are over." She stalked off, a high-and-mighty smiled plastered on her face. But a few of her words stood out to Inuyasha… And gave him an idea.

"Hey, Kagome. I have an idea-"

"It better be a good one, Inuyasha, because at this rate we're gonna fail!" She was clearly upset about their impending fate, and her anger was getting the better of her.

Naraku smirked and whispered to Kagura, "Our little plan might not be necessary. This project seems to be pushing them apart already…"

Inuyasha pulled her into his lap, whispering soothing words into her ear. "Shh… It's gonna be okay. Just calm down…"

She stopped sobbing, but silent tears still ran down her cheeks in distress concerning their plight. What could be done?

"Kag, listen," he said quietly. "Did you hear what she said? 'I'd like to see you invent a way out of this one'. Well, why not? I win the lottery, some rich relative dies… We'll be set for life. We have to keep a daily journal on what happens in our lives. She just gave us the way out. And we could find some way to bankrupt Naraku… This is going to be fun, Kag. And we're going to pass. So please, stop crying?"

She smiled and hugged him tightly, drying her tears in his red turtleneck. "So," she said, smiling slyly, "what are we gonna name our children?"

-----

"No, four boys and three girls!" Inuyasha exclaimed, crossing his arms.

"Oh, for heavens sake Inuyasha! You really expect me to run a household with five men in it? You're insane. I have enough trouble dealing with one."

Inuyasha pouted, and Kagome giggled. "What?" Inuyasha said darkly.

Kagome smiled. "You're cute when you're mad, you know that?"

Inuyasha huffed and turned away.

"Oh, stop it," said Kagome. "You can be such a baby sometimes… Why are we fighting over nonexistent children, anyway?"

"I dunno," said Inuyasha. "You started it."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

Inuyasha sighed. "Yes, you did. You asked me what I wanted to name them, remember? And I listed guys names and you got mad."

"Because you expect me to raise five men!" she exclaimed.

"Four!" he countered.

"I was counting you," she said blandly.

"Hey!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Look, how about we flip a coin."

Inuyasha grinned. "Okay. Heads I win, tails you lose."

Kagome hefted a pillow to throw at him, and Inuyasha smirked. "Do you really want to start that again?" he inquired mischievously.

Kagome sighed. "Here," she said, pulling out a quarter, "I call heads." She flipped it into the air and caught it. "Ha!" she exclaimed. "Heads!"

"No fair!" Inuyasha cried. "You have to flip it over after you catch it."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yea, cuz that way you would win."

He shrugged. "So?"

Kagome sighed and lay down on her bed heavily. "You are impossible."

He smirked. "I know."

She closed her eyes, and Inuyasha smiled. This was gonna be good…

He lifted a pillow and tossed it at her. Her eyes snapped open. "Wha- Inuyasha! You're gonna pay for that!" she cried, throwing countless pillows at him

He smirked, dodging them. "Not likely."

"Oh?" she asked, pausing in mid-toss. "And why is that?"

He took this opportunity to push her down onto her bed. "Because I have the advantage."

"Cheater!" she exclaimed.

"I like to call it seizing the moment."

"I'm gonna get you!"

Kagome was never able to carry out that threat, because at that moment the door creaked open. All throughout Japan a single scream could be heard… "KAGOME ANN HIGURASHI!!!!!!!!"

-----

Heh, sorry, had to end it there. Kagome is SO grounded… And she is going to get her way on the kids thing- there will be four girls and three boys. PLEASE SUGGEST NAMES FOR THE KIDS IN YOUR REVIEW!!! I mean, Inu won the pillow and snow fights, so she gets to pick the kids. Besides, it would be too cruel to make her raise _five_ boys… Lol. I got that idea from my mom- she always says that with my dad around she had to raise four kids instead of three. Well, g2g. Please suggest names- I need them! Kohanu and Sakura are the only ones I have, and I use them in every other fic I write! (Most are unposted, but still…) Bye you guys! Hope ya like!

P.S.- About my other chappies. You know the little wavy line on the keyboard? Well, I just realized that ff.net deletes them, and I was using them to separate scenes. So sorry… And I'm changing that now, so it will be a bit easier to read. Bye ya'll!

Torina


	4. Grounded

Okay, I know this update took a while, but four honors classes can kinda sap up a lot of a person's time... --. Well, this chapter is kinda different from the rest but I like it. Starts out normal (although parts are a bit lame) and then we reach the point where my two month writers' block started. And then you have today, when I finally was struck with and idea that all my faithful reviewers will either absolutely despise or love with ever fiber of their being. There is no in between. It is an extremely profound change in the story line that comes out of absolutely nowhere for no apparent reason, but I like it, so there. I predict that today (or whenever this gets posted) I will lose half my reviewers, but I will also get different ones who like the little twist my story has taken... But I'm rambling. Review response time!

**Raindance-Illusion**- Updating! Sorry it took so long!

**ScOrPiO sChOlAr**- Thanks for the names!

**kagome-1990**- Sorry it took so long but here's your update!

**ThebigW**- lol. Funny the way life works, eh? Hopefully you won't get sent to an alternate universe to meet your counterpart in another realm... But I'll stop giving things away now. And as I said, I might figure Kikyo into this but I'm not sure yet.

**Yumiko**- Thanks! I feel so loved! Sorry it took so long but I'm updating!

**IYWriterGirl**- Thanks for the names!

**Fall Angel**- Thanks for reviewing, and also for explaining the date thing! Cleared a lot up.

**Sunrider22**- You'll see!

**flip-x-fantasy**- Updating!

**Keiko89**- Thanks for the names! I'll put them to use next chapter along with everyone else's.

**demonchik39**- Thanks for the names!

Somebody Like You

Chapter Four: Grounded

"Kagome Ann Higurashi! What on _earth_ do you think you are doing, young lady?"

Kagome's eyes widened and she bit her lip nervously as Inuyasha let her up. "Mom, I'm really sorry about the mess. We'll clean it up, I promise... And we won't make a bigger mess in the process this time," she added, sending a dagger-like glare in Inuyasha's direction.

"Hey, yesterday wasn't _all _my fault. Besides, you gave me the idea to start this fight."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did _not_!"

"Did t-"

"Enough!"

They suddenly remembered that they were in Kagome's mother's presence and ceased their squabbling, looking up guiltily. Kagome noticed the look on her mom's face and paled. They were _so _dead...

"Kagome, you are grounded for the next two weeks, starting after you clean up this mess. That means that you will be spending every second of your life not occupied by school in this room for that amount of time. Understood?" Kagome nodded, and she continued. "You, young man, are banned from this household until Kagome's punishment is complete. And I will be calling your mother to inform her of this incident."

Kagome gasped and squeezed Inuyasha's hand tightly, looking at him in concern as he bent his head and hid his eyes with his bangs so that no one could read his expression. "My brother Sesshomaru is the only family I have left, ma'am, and I doubt he'd appreciate the call," he said softly, unable to completely hide the pain in his voice. "He'd most likely be angrier at you for disturbing him than at me for what I've done..."

Mrs. Higurashi bit her lip and placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't know..."

He smiled softly. "I know. It's okay... You just surprised me, is all. I wasn't prepared for you to say that..."

Mrs. Higurashi returned the smile, albeit nervously. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Kagome looked up at him happily and he grinned. "I'd like that. But I think we have a little cleaning to do first, ne Kagome?"

She sighed. "Hai... Let's get this over with. It's gonna take even longer than yesterday..."

"Would you like some help?" Mrs. Higurashi inquired.

"No thanks, mom," Kagome replied. "I think we can handle it."

Her mother smiled. "All right. See you at dinner, then."

"Kay, mom. See ya."

Mrs. Higurashi turned and shut the door, rolling her eyes in exasperation as she heard the sounds of another budding pillow fight. She had a feeling they wouldn't be done any time soon...

Kagome put her dishes in the sink and stretched, yawning. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to bed..."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "What self-respecting teenager goes to bed at nine-thirty?" She glared at him, and he backtracked. "I mean, we need to work on our Home Ec project some more."

"Mm-hm," she replied, eyeing him calculatingly. "Sure you just don't want to take advantage of my sleepiness and trick me into agreeing to the whole five boys thing?"

He looked up at her indignantly. "I would never take advantage of anyone, especially you!"

She rolled her eyes. "Right. You 'seize the moment'."

He glared at her. "No one gets away with using my own words against me."

She put her hands on her hips and arched her eyebrows. "Oh? And what, pray tell, are you gonna do about it?"

He smirked and stood, walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "This." And he kissed her.

Kagome's mother and jii-chan looked on in amusement. Well, if you define amusement as throwing countless spell scrolls at the hanyou...

"Heavens sake, old man!" Inuyasha cried, ripping off the useless ofudas. "What is your _problem_?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled smugly. "Not dating, eh you two?"

They flushed. "Um... Well, about that, Mrs. H..."

She turned her attention to the ruby-red hanyou. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

Kagome interjected to prevent him from saying anything that would worsen their situation. "In our defense, mom, the last time you asked we weren't."

She raised her eyebrows. "That was yesterday."

"A day is a long time when you've only known one another for two..." Inuyasha supplied, strangely rational considering their current situation.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded her assent. "I suppose... Well, Kagome, you're still grounded for the mess the two of you made, but I suppose Inuyasha could still come over to keep you company..."

Kagome's eyes lit up. "Really, okassan?" She nodded, and Kagome squealed and embraced her mother. "Thanks, mom. That means a lot..."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and patted her daughter on the back. "No problem. Now what were you two saying about a Home Ec project?"

Their eyes widened at the reminder, and they resumed their argument.

"Five boys!"

"No, four!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Five!"

"I'm the one who's going to have to take care of them! It should be my decision!"

"I don't care! Five!"

Kagome blinked as a thought hit her. "Hey, I'm a mail lady and you're a garbage guy, right?"  
He looked at her in confusion. "Yea... So?"

"Well, we both work in the morning. Who's gonna take care of the kids then?"

"We'll have to get a 'babysitter'."

"I'm not leaving my kids with someone I don't know!"  
"Well then what do you suggest?"

"How should I know?"

He rolled his eyes. "Sure I'm the garbage man? Cuz you're spewing trash..."

Kagome fumed. "You're the one who wants to hire a babysitter to take care of my kids!"

They continued bickering, and the two onlookers turned to each other, dumbfounded.

"Hey, otousan?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.

"Hai?" he responded.

"Can I be confused now?"

Her father sighed. "Welcome to the club, dear. Welcome to the club."

lol. 'Can I be confused now?' is my fav phrase... even tho the end is a bit lame, it's still kinda funny, ne? crickets chirping sweatdrops Okay, so maybe not. But oh well... Live with it. I might change it later, tho... On with the story!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Kagome groaned and rolled over to shut off her alarm. _Need... sleep..._

She and Inuyasha had argued for a good two hours before her mother and jii-chan had finally interrupted them and asked Inuyasha to go home. He, of course, being a man and the person he was, couldn't go without having the last word and slamming their front door shut, a gesture that caused Kagome to boil over and run outside after him. Their 'friendly discussion' had carried on for another half hour before Kagome gave up and went back inside, where she proceeded to spend the next hour ranting about arrogant, self-assured half-demons who thought the world revolved around them. When she finally wound down, Mrs. Higurashi asked, "Are you sure the two of you are dating?"

Kagome threw her hands up into the air in exasperation and stormed up the stairs, sat on her bed, and fumed for forty-five minutes before remembering that she had homework, which took her an hour to complete. Add in the fact that she set her alarm for five a.m. each morning... Let's just say that Kagome was not in a good mood, and that a certain hanyou was in for it today- that is if she ever woke up enough to walk to school.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took a cold shower, which succeeded in accomplishing two things. One, she was awake, and two, she was ready to kill.

Which brings us to Inuyasha, who, unfortunately for him, had decided to walk to Kagome's house before school and apologize. He rang the doorbell, and was greeted by an angry and tired-looking Kagome.

"Hey, Kag, I just-"

"This is your fault!" she raged. "All your fault!"

The hanyou was dumbfounded. "Kag, what-"

"I _tried_ to go to bed at a decent hour, but _no_! You just_ had_ to keep me up with that stupid argument! And then my family ignored me, and I remembered I still had English homework- which, might I add, would have been completed earlier yesterday if _you _hadn't started that stupid pillow fight- that took me an hour to complete! So I wake up at five a.m. and you expect me to function rationally on two hours and fifteen minutes of sleep?!?"

_Note to self,_ Inuyasha thought. _Don't keep Kagome up _ever_ again._

"Look, Kag, I just came by to say I was sorry..."

She sighed and fell into his warm embrace. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha... I'm not the best morning person. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that..."

"Well, you were right. All that stuff was my fault..."

She smiled and took his hand, yawning. "C'mon. We're gonna be late for school."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "It's six o'clock, Kagome. School doesn't start 'till nine fifteen."

"It won't kill us to be a little early!"

"A little?" he scoffed. "How can you call three hours 'a little early'?"

"I dunno," she responded, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "How can you call two hours enough sleep?"

His eyes widened and he took a step back. "Well, let's be off then!"

Kagome smiled. "That's more like it."

He lifted her into his arms and they headed off for school, leaping quickly through the trees. He jumped into a sakura tree and paused a moment, plucking one of the last blossoms from it's branches and sliding it behind Kagome's ear, who had fallen asleep to the rhythmic beating of his heart. Before long he touched down in front of the school doors and looked down at the slumbering Kagome, smiling softly. She looked so much like an angel... His angel. His smile widened, and he kissed he forehead gently. Best to let her sleep... He sat down on a bench in front of the school and allowed his eyes to close as well, losing himself to the blissful world that was dreamland...

Kagome sat up and blinked. _Where am I?_ She was surrounded by waving grasses and tall trees, one of which looked startlingly like the one back at her home in Japan, only it was smaller and wasn't surrounded by a wooden fence and strung ofudas. She took a deep breath and smiled. The air was different here than it was back home. It smelled cleaner, fresher... Newer. Here eyes snapped open at this realization. Newer? That didn't make any sense... But that was indeed what she smelled. What was going on here? She heard a noise from behind her and quickly jumped to her feet and whipped around. Her eyes lit up. Inuyasha! She ran towards him happily and opened her mouth to question him about why he was wearing such a worn haori and hakama, but he brushed right by her. She stood there a moment, blinking, before turning and pursuing him. She followed him towards a well, where he sat down grumpily and folded his arms, muttering something about late wenches under his breath. Kagome took a look at the well and gasped. It was the very same well from her shrine back home! What was going on here? Was she dreaming? A noise came from the bottom of the well and Inuyasha smirked and stood. "Took you long enough," he called down, jumping inside and picking something up before hopping back out again. The object in his arms made her blood run cold. It was her, old school uniform and all. But how was that possible? How could she be there and where she was at the same time?

"Well excuse me!" she exclaimed, unceremoniously climbing out of his arms and handing her huge backpack to Inuyasha, who accepted it without a second thought. "I was too busy packing lunch for us all!"

Inuyasha stared at the backpack. "Gods woman, what do you have in this thing? It's heavier that you are! How do you manage to carry this Kami-forsaken bag around?"

She shrugged. "I've gotten used to it, I guess. But it is difficult at times." She smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you for taking it for me."

He blushed. "Keh. It's nothing."

Her other self smiled, but didn't comment on his choice of words. "Well come on then, we should get back. The others will be worried."

He nodded. "Hop on. It'll be quicker that way."

The other Kagome climbed onto his back and they went towards a village in the distance. Kagome sighed and followed on foot as best she could, surprised that she somehow knew the way to Kaede's village. Wait a second, Kaede? As in history teacher Kaede? She shook her head to clear her mind. It was a mere coincidence. Inuyasha and her other self must have mentioned the name, she was worrying for nothing. She pushed her way through the underbrush, scratching her hand along the way. She looked down at the cut sighed. This day was getting worse by the second... Nothing was going right. She had failed to her English homework, she knew, hardly gotten any sleep, and now she was in some kind of freaky alternate universe where Inuyasha dressed weird and she still lived in Japan. What else could go wrong?

She emerged from the trees and came upon a hut. She heard some voices inside and entered. What she saw startled her, although with what had been happening lately it was a miracle she was still able to experience surprise. Sitting around a small fire, for it was a chilly day, not yet winter but nearing it, were six people, each bearing an uncanny resemblance to someone she knew. Inuyasha and her other self were arguing, Sango's likeness was scolding Shippo's for eating too much candy, and Miroku and Kaede's were discussing ancient texts. Kagome looked on in amazement. These people looked exactly like her classmates! What was going on here?

Her likeness finally got fed up with Inuyasha's impertinence and cried, "Sit!"

Kagome stared as Inuyasha fell and made an impression in the ground, then made a quick analysis. A subduing spell. Most likely centered upon the rosary around his neck. But why was this necessary? Didn't they trust this Inuyasha?

Her question was answered as he jumped up from the ground and started yelling at her counterpart. "What was that for, wench?"

"Well you deserved it," she said haughtily. "You never appreciate anything anyone does for you."

Kagome nodded in understanding as their bickering continued. So their relationship was a love/hate one. They were friends, but they argued constantly. She was glad she and her Inuyasha weren't like that... But that was beside the point. Where was she? And why couldn't she get back?

The Kaede of this realm silenced the group. "Ye really had better be off after the Shikon no kaera," she advised.

Inuyasha's expression turned serious at once. "Kaede-baba's right, you guys. Naraku's getting stronger by the day. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and try and think of a way to stop him. And as much as I hate to admit it that might mean asking Kouga for help."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Miroku commented. Inuyasha sent him a suspicious glance and Miroku continued. "You're actually admonishing fighting and suggesting we team up with Kouga?"

Kagome walked up to Inuyasha and put her palm on his forehead. "No fever... Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

Inuyasha growled and pushed her away. "Of course I'm feeling okay!" he cried. "I don't want to team up with Kouga, bakas, but I don't particularly want to die at the hands of Naraku either! If you'd rather let Naraku get the whole jewel before we attack then fine, it's your life to lose, but I'm not gonna just sit around and wait while he gets stronger!"

There was silence throughout the hut, and this gave Kagome time to think. Okay, so these people were searching for the legendary jewel of four souls. This Inuyasha was generally even more unruly than the one she knew, but for the most part the rest were the same. Well, she couldn't account for Shippo because she hardly knew him, but it stood to reason that he would be similar to his counterpart like the rest of them. Naraku was apparently a bad person here was well, and they were all out to kill him for one reason or another. She wasn't sure why this Inuyasha was so opposed to Kouga, they were friends in her realm so shouldn't they be here as well? Maybe here they just took their rivalry a bit to far, she was uncertain. But that was irrelevant. She was more curious as to how the others would respond...

"Of course we're coming, Inuyasha," Kagome said quietly. "We weren't trying to upset you, just understand your reasoning..."

Inuyasha sighed. "Yea, well-"

At that moment Kagome experience something very disconcerting- the sensation of having something- or rather someone- run through you. She had long since realized that in this world she was incorporeal, that nothing could see, touch, or hear her in this realm, but she was still a but unnerved when the raccoon youkai ran straight through her and into the hut.

He ran straight over to an extremely surprised Miroku, panting. "Master Miroku!" he cried. "I have very bad news!"

"Hachi!" Miroku exclaimed. "What a surprise! What are you doing here?"

Kagome smiled slightly. So in this world Miroku had a servant? And a very erratic one at that. Interesting. When she woke up from this dream she would have to ask Miroku if he knew anyone by that name...

"It's Naraku, Master! He has all the shards of the Shikon no tama except for the ones you possess!"

The faces of all present steeled, and Kagome gathered that Naraku having the jewel was a bad thing. But it was merely a gem, what harm could it do? Unless the legends were true...

"What about Kouga?" Inuyasha barked.

"Kouga is dead!" Hachi exclaimed. "Kagura killed him!"

The eyes of everyone present widened, and a few tears slipped down Kagome's counterpart's face.

"He... he can't be dead," Inuyasha said slowly. "He's too stubborn to die..."

A flea hopped towards her, and this time Kagome made sure to move out of his path. She wasn't all to eager to experience the same thing she had with Hachi moments before...

"It's Naraku!" the flea cried. "He's coming this way! He is destroying everything in his path in search of you, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's gaze steeled. "Then let him come."

One of this realm's Kagome's tears fell on the shards she carried around her neck, and they began to glow a brilliant white. There was a flash of light, and the glowing form of the ancient priestess, Midoriko, appeared. "That is foolish of you, Inuyasha. Alone you cannot win."

Inuyasha snorted. "I won't be alone, baka. I have Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo with me. Besides, how did you get out of the jewel and how come the monster isn't with you?"

Midoriko regarded him coolly. "How I came to be here is none of your business, and that's not what I meant. You require help from another realm entirely. You must join with your other selves in order to defeat Naraku." The direction of Midoriko's gaze changed, and Kagome could have sworn that she was staring straight at her with a small half smile on her face. "Only through cooperation will you succeed. Trust yourselves and each other, and watch out for familiar strangers. They are the key to your survival."

Midoriko faded away, and Kagome's world went black.

Kagome blinked and opened her eyes to see the concerned face of none other than Inuyasha. "Kagome, are you all right? You wouldn't wake up... I was worried."

Kagome took a deep breath and was relieved to breathe in the familiar, if less pleasant, fragrance of present-day air. She slowly got to her feet, wobbly as a newborn, and told Inuyasha of what she had dreamt, fearing it was more than a mere dream. He snorted as she ended her tale. "Nice dream, Kagome, but it's nothing to get worked up about. It was just a dream, it wasn't real."

She nodded. "I guess you're right. I'll just-" She stopped abruptly as she felt a stinging sensation on her left hand. She said a silent prayer to whatever god was listening and then looked down at her hand. Her suspicions were confirmed as she saw a two inch cut down her hand... In exactly the same place as she had been cut by the shrubbery in her dream.

Inuyasha gently lifted her hand into the light and examined it for a moment before looking back at her, slight fear in his eyes. "I think we have a problem."

Owari chapter four! What do you guys think? Love? Hate? Review either way and let me know! This is definitely not how I planned this fic to be, it was gonna be strictly AU. But hey, I got over my writers' block didn't I? And I'll hopefully post within the next few weeks. So please review!!!!!! I feel bad because this chappie is so short... Sorry! But please find it in your hearts to review anyway!

Torina


	5. Down The Well

Yay! I'm on a roll! I just had my BF hypergirl15 (email her and make her post her fics cuz she won't) post the last chapter, and I'm working on the next! Go me! I only have two reviews and it's been posted for a few days, so I'm assuming people didn't like it… Sorry! (Even though you aren't reading this if you didn't like it…). But I like the way it's going, so… Yea. R&R, peeps! Love ya! (P.S. Someone help me! The word 'mom' in Japanese- is it okasan, okkassan, okassan, or okkasan? Help!)

**kody leigh**- Um forgive my ignorance but how is Inuyasha saying they've only known each other for two days funny? Thanks for reviewing! I love new reviewers!

**ThebigW**- Thanks for reviewing! You rock!

**flip-x-fantasy**- Heh, yea. Sorry it took so long, really… Thanks for reviewing!

**Keiko89**- Sorry! L Really, I meant to update sooner but school is REALLY taking it's toll on me… Sorry! Thanks for reviewing!

**eveilpristess345**- Thanks, but you do know that there are now five chapters right? You reviewed chapter three when chapter four was up… So please read four before this or it will be VERY confusing to you!

**shangxiang10**- Thanks! Updating!

**CybrIdolMink**- Updating!

**DarkSilverMaiden**- You shall see! Hehehe… And it's Tetsusaiga, for future reference. Thanks, hope you did too!

**Miroku69****- **rolls eyes Enthusiastic as ever, little brother…

**aNiMeaNgEl**- Thanks! Here it is, at long last!

Okay, on with the story!

Somebody Like You

Chapter Five: Down The Well

"Okay, run this by me one more time," said Inuyasha, eyeing Kagome skeptically.

She sighed. "We're going to Japan."

"Why?"

"Because! The well from my dream is exactly like the one at the shrine back home, and the Goshinboku too! We have to go back and figure out what's going on."

"Mm-hm. And how exactly are you going to get there?"

"By airplane of course!"

"Uh-huh. And your mom is going to give you a couple thousand dollars to go back home to figure out a dream that she won't even believe is real?"

Kagome's face fell. "You're right," she said softly, looking at the ground. "We don't have any money to spare right now… She won't give it to me. It… it's stupid anyway. I just thought I could… Could… Well, figure out what that dream meant, and… and see Souta again…"

Silent tears slid down her cheeks, and Inuyasha gently pulled her into a warm embrace. "Shh…" he said softly. "It's okay…" The situation seemed hopeless. But what if… He bit his lip. It was crazy, but it just might work… "Come on," he told her, lifting her into his arms. "I have an idea."

He stopped running after a few moments, and Kagome gawked at the place they were standing in front of. It was a nineteenth century mansion, complete with a huge front garden and elaborate gate. Kagome shook her head to clear the amazement from her mind and looked over at Inuyasha. "Um… Why are we here?"

He looked away, blushing, and mumbled something Kagome couldn't understand. "What?" she asked, sending him a quizzical glance.

"This is where I live," he said softly.

Kagome blinked. "Wow," she replied. "That's awesome! The garden is so pretty! Where did you get all those flowers?"

Inuyasha sweatdropped. She was standing in front of the most elaborate mansion in town, and she was obsessing over some flowers? He supposed he should be grateful, at least it hadn't made her uncomfortable. It wasn't his fault his dad had been a multi-millionaire! But Miroku had treated him weirdly for days after he found out, and none of the others knew. He hadn't wanted to tell her, but if dreams could hurt her… Something was wrong, and they needed to know what. The only problem was… He shook his head. He'd find a way. "Flowers aren't important, Kagome. What's important is finding out what's wrong with you, ne?"

Kagome blinked. "Well yea, but how-"

"Leave that to me. Just… Come on."

She nodded and took his hand, squeezing it tightly, and they walked up to the gate. "Oi, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called. "Open up!"

A calm, cold voice came from seemingly nowhere, and Kagome pulled Inuyasha closer instinctively. "Who is your friend, little brother?" it asked scornfully.

"That's none of your concern, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, scarcely controlled underlying anger in his tone. "Just let me in. Why do we have to have these arguments after school every day? Do you enjoy my frustration? It's my home too, you know."

"Father left it under my jurisdiction."

"And he left the Tetsusaiga to me, which is why you hate me," he spat out bitterly. "You know, we used to be friends. Then father died, and you shut everyone out. You don't think I miss him? You're not the only one who lost both their parents, Sesshomaru!"

There was a moment of silence, in which Kagome bit her lip and clung more tightly to Inuyasha, and the aforementioned hanyou cursed himself inwardly at such a pathetic display of emotion. More ammunition for his brother to throw at him… It had been foolish to let his anger show in the past, and now he was showing regret and resentment? It would be even more difficult than usual to gain his brother's attention now… His only remaining family. You would think that they ought to care for each other more strongly than most siblings, considering they had no one else to turn to… But Inuyasha shook off these feelings. They were getting him nowhere. He had learned a long time ago that he couldn't count on his brother to be there for him, and had learned to rely on himself and his friends. He couldn't allow a single moment of weakness to undermine his whole demeanor towards his brother. "Just… Just let me in, Sesshomaru," he said weakly. _Not just to the house though, _he thought sorrowfully. _Let me back into your life…_

The voice spoke no more, but a few moments later the gates opened, creaking slightly. Inuyasha let out a relieved sigh. _He's letting us inside. It's a start… Maybe there's hope after all. For our relationship and Kagome's problem… _"Come on, Kagome. It's okay."

"No," she said softly, her eyes boring into his soul, "it's not. You're hurting inside…" She bit her lip, fearing she had said too much, considering they were standing right in front of the residence of the object of her concern for his well-being… "But we can talk about that later, when your brother isn't around," she corrected quickly. She shot him a dark glance. "You never told me that your brother pushed you around like this. And you never said why we're here."

He sighed and pulled her along with him as he walked towards the main doors. "My dad left Sesshomaru and I an inheritance- a _big _one. Only problem is that I have to be eighteen to get into mine, unless Sesshomaru signs something allowing me to take out a specific amount."

She sighed. "Considering his attitude toward you, that's not very helpful… Why Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha laughed. "He's older. Plus father thought he was the more reasonable one." He smiled ruefully. "He was probably right."

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you need the money for, anyway?"

He smiled and opened the door. "We're going to Japan."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T GIVE ME THE MONEY!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"I don't think you need it, half-brother-"

"It doesn't matter if he won't let you have it, Inuyasha, you're not spending three thousand dollars to take us to Japan to solve _my_ problem!"

"If it's your problem it's mine too, baka!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I'm not going to sit around and do nothing about this. You got scratched this time, no big deal. But what if a youkai attacks you next time? You said it yourself, you can't defend yourself! I won't risk-"

"What does a problem like the one you are presently discussing with this miko- whom I am a bit wary to have in my household-" he interjected, sending Inuyasha a patronizing glare, "have to do with your transportation to Japan? If I had more of the facts I might be more inclined to… _assist_ you."

Kagome blew a fuse. "It doesn't _matter_ because whether you give it to him or not I won't accept it!"

"Dang it Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Will you just give it a rest? You're going whether you like it or not, I won't risk losing you!"

Kagome opened her mouth to deliver a retort, but Sesshomaru interceded.

"Will you two please shut up?" he asked, his only expression of agitation reflected in his eyes. "Honestly, you sound like an old married couple."

The two flushed. "Look, Sesshomaru," said Inuyasha. "Kagome had this dream. It's too complicated to explain, but we think she's in danger. We have to get to Japan at all costs." He looked at Sesshomaru, determination in his eyes. "I'll give you the Tetsusaiga."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly. Inuyasha was willing to give up the Tetsusaiga, his only memory of their father, in order to protect a mere human girl? She seemed ordinary- other than the fact that she was a miko. He smiled internally. Maybe it was a blood thing, falling for mikos. Inutaisho's human mate, Iyazoi, had been a miko, regardless of whether Inuyasha was aware of this fact. Now his younger half-sibling had clearly fallen for this miko youth. And then there was Rin… He cleared his throat. "Very well. You may have the money you need. Three thousand, no more, no less. And I no longer have a need for the Tetsusaiga. I trust you'll carry it well." Sesshomaru handed him the signed form and left the room, stoic and emotionless as ever.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and it took him a moment to register the fact that Sesshomaru had left. Sesshomaru had given him the money without compensation? He did a double take when he saw the name of the account the money was being taken from. _Sesshomaru Tashio- Inheritance from Inutaisho Tashio. _And was it his imagination, or were there a few extra zeroes at the end of that number?

Inuyasha smiled. His brother's organizational complex had finally come in handy. His heart filled with hope as he took in what this meant. His brother _did_ care for him… Although he obviously thought he was too stupid to notice where the money was coming from and what it meant.

He was shaken from his reverie when Kagome waved her hand emphatically in front of his face.

"Um, earth to Inuyasha?" she said uncertainly. "Anybody home?"  
He smiled. "Let's go," he said cheerfully.

"I told you," she exclaimed, "I'm not using your money for this!"

He grinned. "How about my brother's?"

Kagome snatched the outstretched paper from his hand and gasped, then smiled up at him. "This is wonderful," she said softly. "He really does care."

Inuyasha nodded. "And we can find out what's going on with you."

She shook her head, smiling softly. "That's not what's important. But never mind." She smiled. "Let's go."

Kagome sighed. It was hard work to carry this big yellow bag around all the time… Which, she noticed with a small sting of fear and a strong sense of irony, was the same bag that her counterpart from the dream had carried around. Inuyasha, smirking, pulled it from her grasp and looped it around his shoulder. Kagome smiled up at him, a touch of the same irony she had felt before in her expression. He looked exactly the same as the other Inuyasha had when he taken her other self's burden from her shoulders… She sighed once more and clasped his hand. "Come on, the plane is going to leave soon."

He nodded and started walking with her, her backpack slung over his shoulder and his own suitcase dragging behind him.

"Flight 237 group four now boarding," said the voice over the intercom.

Kagome's eyes widened, and Inuyasha held up his hands in defense. "Oh, no," he said, fear in his eyes. "Don't-"

"OH MY GOSH!" Kagome cried. "We were in group two!" She tightened her grip on his hand and sped off, leaving the poor innocent civilians behind them in a cloud of dust, sweatdropping.

"KAGOME! You just passed our gate!" Inuyasha cried.

She (once again) skidded to a halt, sweatdropping in embarrassment. "Heh. I seem to do that a lot, huh?"

He sighed. "Yup. C'mon, we better hurry." He strapped her backpack to his suitcase, hefted it onto his back, and picked her up bridal style, rushing towards the gate. He came to a halt just before the loading gate and set her down, and the two power-walked towards the plane. They sat down in their seats just as the seatbelt-on light flashed green. They quickly strapped in, and Kagome sighed, laying her head on his shoulder. "That was close…" she murmured sleepily. He smiled, draping an arm around her shoulder as she fell asleep. He pulled a blanket from the compartment above them, covered her up, and allowed sleep to overcome him once again.

Kagome blinked, but saw nothing. "Where am I?" she thought desperately. She breathed in, and her heart nearly stopped. _Not again… _she moaned internally.

A small child who looked frighteningly like Souta's friend Miramaru suddenly appeared. "Come with me," she said softly. "I will lead you to lady Midoriko."

Kagome hesitated. What if this child was a youkai in disguise? The voice of the woman from her other dream echoed in her mind. _Watch out for familiar strangers. They are the key to your survival…_

Kagome stood and nodded. It wasn't as if she had much choice, anyway- the child's glowing aura was the only source of light in the cavern. She took her left hand and allowed her self to be led away from the place where she had awoken. She thought she saw light once, some kind of glowing blue barrier, but the child promptly led her away from it. Suddenly she stopped, and Kagome stared at her. Why would this Midoriko be here of all places? It was darker here than it had been back where they had been. What was this girl up to?

As if in answer to her unspoken question, the child took something from her pocket and blew on it. The small globe lit up and flew a few feet in front of them and then stopped, hovering. It slowly increased in brightness, and Kagome gasped. The woman from before! She was carved in stone, locked in battle with a ferocious youkai three times her size. But why? She had seen her in person earlier, why was she a mere statue now?

There was a bright burst of pink light, and the glowing form of the woman from the statue appeared, smiling softly. "Hello, Kagome-san," she said softly.

"Lady Midoriko, I presume?" Kagome replied, more self-confidence in her voice than she felt.

Midoriko smiled gently. "Indeed. Do you know what you have to do as well, or may I enlighten you?"

Kagome bit her lip at the rebuke. "Please," she said quietly.

Midoriko's grin widened. "Very well. You are heading home, ne?"

Kagome nodded. "Hai. It will be nice to return… But more importantly, I can figure out why these dreams are plaguing me so. I do not understand what they mean… Please, help me my lady!"

Midoriko smiled at the energy in her voice. "The well, you recognize it?" Kagome nodded emphatically, and Midoriko continued. "You must jump in with Inuyasha. You will travel to this world's past, and meet up with your counterparts. I cannot say what you will do then, no matter how much I wish to; it is against the rules of fate, which even one such as I must abide by. But remember, child- you must trust yourself and the others. Despite your differences you are of the same being, just in different worlds. There is a reason there is more than one universe- human beings themselves are too powerful on their own, that was discovered eons ago. So each being, human and youkai alike, separated themselves into countless fragments and created worlds that mirrored their own to deposit these pieces in. If the gap between all worlds was breached, and any one being was able to join with their other selves… It would be catastrophic. They could control all the worlds through sheer brute force."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Is that what Naraku wants? To join with each of his counterparts and destroy the universe?"

Midoriko smiled internally. The girl was so naïve… But if her simplicity made her more willing to do the world's bidding then why not go along with it?

"Yes," she replied. "Naraku would use the jewel to open the portals between all the worlds and recombine himself in to the all-powerful being he once was."

Kagome sighed. "Figures Naraku would do something like this…"

Midoriko smiled once more. "Good luck, child. And farewell…"

She placed a small ornamental comb in her hands, and then Kagome's world went black.

"Kagome?" came a quiet voice from above. "Kagome, are you all right?"

Kagome blinked to clear her blurred vision. What was going on? Where was she?

"Kagome?"

Kagome smiled as she recognized the Inuyasha's voice. "I'm fine," she said softly. "But…" she took a moment to consider whether she ought to tell him. He would probably become even more worried than he already was… But she had to tell him. She shuddered to consider how she would feel if their positions had been reversed…

"I had another dream."

Inuyasha was immediately at full attention. "What happened?"

"I… I was in a cave," Kagome began. "A child came and led me to Midoriko, who told me that Naraku was planning to unite with his counterparts of other universes and destroy the world… She said we had to jump in the well and work together with our other selves to destroy him."

Inuyasha snorted. "Sounds easy enough. With two of me, I can take him easily."

Kagome sent him a wary glance. "Don't be so sure. In the immortal words of Foaly, "If you're felling cocky, it's because there's something you don't know."

Inuyasha blinked. "Who's Foaly?"

Kagome sighed. "Never mind. But when we get back home I'm introducing you to the world of Eoin Colfer."

Inuyasha smiled, and Kagome shot him a quizzical glance. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. It's just… You referred to New York as your home."

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled slightly. "I suppose it's starting to feel that way… You and the others make me feel so safe and loved… Home is where the heart is, ne?"

He smiled softly. "I'm glad you feel that way."

She grinned in return, and he brought his lips down to meet hers…

"Attention passengers, please fasten your seatbelts. We will be descending shortly."

Kagome sighed and leaned back in her seat, making sure her buckle was secure. Stupid flight attendant. Going and ruining the moment like that…

Inuyasha, however, didn't seem to particularly care. He tilted her chin to face him and leaned over. "Now," he said softly. "Where were we…"

Kagome closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing the world around her to melt away…

The plane jerked seconds before their lips met. "Attention passengers, we are now descending. Please remain seated."

Kagome pulled away and threw her hands up in the air. "I give up!" she exclaimed.

Inuyasha sighed. "It's no big deal," he told her. "We should be worrying about other things, anyway."

She shot him a quizzical glance. "Like what?" she asked skeptically.

"First, what we're gonna do once we get to Japan, since you already sold your house and going in would be breaking and entering, second, how you're going to see your brother without his 'parents' finding out, because based on your descriptions of them they wouldn't take kindly to a visit that wasn't prearranged, and third, what excuse you're going to make up for your mother, because I doubt the truth is gonna cut it," he supplied.

Kagome sighed. "One, Souta's family bought the house so it won't be a problem, he can let us in, two, if I ask him not to tell he won't, and three…" She sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

He was a bit apprehensive about her last explanation, but he let it go, seeing how weary she looked already and not desiring to stress her further. He gripped her hand supportively, and she leaned into him as the plane touched down.

He gently kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It'll be okay, koi. Everything will be fine. I promise."

She smiled softly and replied, "Don't make promises you can't keep, Inuyasha."

"I will keep it," he said forcefully. "I'll die before I see you get hurt."

She turned to him apprehensively. "Don't say that," she said softly, fear in her voice. "I don't want anyone to die for me, especially not you. I need you, Inuyasha. Don't leave me, please."

He stood as the seatbelt-on light turned off and gathered her into his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

"I'm here for you," he said gently. "I'm right here."

Kagome took a deep, shaking breath and said, "We need to go, Inuyasha. We're holding up everyone else behind us."

"Are you okay though?" he asked, concern in his voice.  
She nodded. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

He took their bags in one hand and grasped hers with his other and slowly made his way down the aisle. They stepped out of the plane and into the terminal, their eyes bugging out at the line at the baggage claim center.

"Glad we brought everything on the plane," Inuyasha muttered.

"Now to get a cab back to the shrine…" she said, sarcastic enthusiasm dripping from her words. "Joy."

Inuyasha smiled, at least she was getting a little of her sense of humor back. "Why is that such a big deal?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Because it takes forever."

Inuyasha grinned. "Well then we had better get started."

Mrs. Higurashi entered her new home with a few bags of groceries, humming. She missed her home back in Japan, but the transition was going much better than she had expected.

She called for Kagome, but the girl didn't answer. _Must be at a friend's house, _she mused. _Oh well. I'll tell her the good news later._

She put the cold items in the refrigerator and left the other foodstuffs on the island to put away later. Still humming happily, she walked over to the answering machine and listened to the messages she had received during her absence.

_Are your car payments too high? Going out of house and home trying to pay for damage and other problems? Well the Geico Gecko can-_

Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes and pressed the delete button.

_Congratulations, Atsuko! You have won a complimentary cruise to the Caribbean! Just sign up for one of our plans and spend a thousand dollars or more on-_

She rolled her eyes again. She was beginning to seriously consider agreeing to her daughter's idea of putting the phrase, "death to all telemarketers" at the end of their message…

_Hi mom! This is Kagome!_

Her eyes widened. Why would Kagome leave a message?

_Um… I really don't know how to say this…_

She sounded so worried… What if something was really the matter?

_I'm going to be gone for a week or so. I know it's awfully sudden and you'll be worried to death, but it's extremely important. If it makes you feel any better, Inuyasha is with me…_

It did make her worry lessen a little, but she was still very concerned about her daughter's well being. How dare she simply walk out like that! Well as soon as she left a number, she was going to call her up and give her a piece of her mind…

_I'm afraid I can't give you a number to reach me at now, I'm borrowing Inuyasha's cell at the moment but I'm not sure it will work where we're going. If it does I'll call you the minute we get there. If not then I'll see you when I get home! _

Which will be…?

_Don't worry though, I should come back in one piece._

That is not funny, Kagome…

_And if not…_

Atsuko's heart stopped. If not…

_Well, that's not important. Don't give me up for dead for a month or so, okay?_

What was going on? Her tone was joking, but her words… Her daughter wasn't like this. She didn't make up things like this. She didn't make things up at all. Which meant…

_If I'm not back in six weeks, someone will come tell you everything. I'm leaving everything with him, and he's trustworthy. You know him, but don't try and find out who he is, because you never will. _

That wasn't going to stop her from trying.

_Just remember, mom… I love you, and I always will. Sayonara!_

There was a click, and the dial-tone echoed throughout the small living room. Atsuko Higurashi merely stood there for a moment, fear encompassing her. What if Kagome never came back? What was had happened? And what did it have to do with Inuyasha?

She picked up the phone to call the police, flipping through her address book and marking the name of every person she thought Kagome might have contacted. In her worry, she absent-mindedly skipped over the name _Souta Higurashi-Junio…_

Okay, what do you think? I know this has taken forever… Sad part is that I only added the last two paragraphs today. I finished the rest the day after I posted the last chappie, and the first sentence of the second to last paragraph gave me major writer's block. So I came back to it today and deleted that sentence and started over… And that was all it took. Yea, sad, I know. Ah well. Please review!

Torina


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